King of Erebor – Justice
by Sky Venom
Summary: Thorin is angry. Fíli, young King of Erebor invited elves to the Lonely Mountain, when he should focus on a delicate abduction case. Kíli has left to find his elven ex-lover, while Dís released a bunch of dwarrowdams to lure the Company into wedlock. Can they do nothing right? A year after BOTFA, mainly Fíli POV, no one's dead. Yet. Sequel to A New Home, but can be read separately.
1. Broken Hearts

**A/N: Hi everyone!**

 **As promised, this is a sequel to King of Erebor - A New Home. But don't worry, if you haven't read it: this one has its own plot and I'll cover the most important points here too.**

 **I hope you'll like it - feel free to leave a review in the end!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit.**

* * *

 **King of Erebor – Justice**

 **Broken Hearts**

Kíli, Prince of Erebor woke groggily under a tree, where he spent the night. He got soft in the last year: his back ached from the hardness of the ground, and the soft reddish rays of the sun forced him to squint. He yawned and stretched slowly, instead of jumping to his feet, immediately alert.

His pony was snacking nearby. He patted around for his pack: he remembered using it as a pillow last night, but it must have been uncomfortable. He probably pushed it away in his sleep: he found it nearby.

He looked around and took in the green of the field. No sign of anybody coming here apart from him and Bonnie. He could see the Mountain looming in the background, over the sapling forest he'd just crossed, the sun just rising over the horizon behind them.

He hadn't traveled far – he made less than an average day's journey. He was surprised to wake up alone: he counted on being hunted down by his brother's troops. Not that he _wanted_ anyone to come, but still, it was strange they didn't try to stop him.

"Hey, Bonnie," he sighed, talking to his pony. "Now what are we to do?"

It was a half-cooked plan at best. Kíli knew he tended to act rashly, but this little excursion seemed perfectly sensible in the middle of the night. During the day, he started to doubt himself. He had a good life in Erebor: he was comfortable, they had enough money for the first time in his life, he had his family around, there was a dwarrowdam interested in him – what if Tauriel wouldn't even remember him? What if her feelings were indifferent or worse? What if Thranduil really throws him in the dungeons?

He sat up, rummaging around for food in his pack. He hadn't even packed much of it. He saddled his pony, and continued his slow journey, munching on his breakfast.

He traveled slowly, with a heavy heart, half wishing for his brother's troops to catch up already and drag him back. Perhaps Fíli woke up late and had a hangover yesterday. Perhaps he got his letter too late in the afternoon, and he couldn't send out scouts yet. Perhaps they would come today.

He was very angry at Fíli when he left him with Bard the day before yesterday. Why did he have to be so stubborn? Why did he have to be Mum's little lapdog? Why couldn't he just come along, have some fun and visit Bard later?

Eventually, his anger disappeared. Spending the day at Dale's Flower Festival wasn't so bad: he met up with Kasia – a pretty and funny dwarrowdam, who came to Erebor recently –, showed her the city, they completed Mum's exercise without a hitch (unlike others…khm…Fíli), and later, he had a few drinks with Thorin and half the Company. In the evening, he went to retrieve his pony and found that Fíli hadn't left the city yet. It was strange: he was led to believe it to be a short business meeting, perhaps a meal afterwards. He decided to check in on his brother – he hated long, pointless discussions, surely he would appreciate a rescue mission!

To his surprise, Fíli's guard was sitting on the front terrace, engaged in a card game with Bard's men. Fíli wasn't supposed to be left without a guard, and Ronen had already left for Erebor. He approached the door with confidence: the guards nodded to him in greeting, and let him through. He heard strange noises from upstairs. The house seemed empty otherwise, so he took the stairs and drew a knife, just in case.

If he had to guess what he would find in the room, he wouldn't have guessed right in a million years.

Two kings – Fíli and Bard – were sitting in those very comfortable leather armchairs Kíli would die for. Bard was making animated, but ridiculously uncoordinated gestures with a half-empty glass in his hand. He was going on about something concerning women, but Kíli couldn't make out his incoherent ramblings. It seemed to make perfect sense to Fíli, because he let out an annoyed growl.

"Damn right!" He slammed down his fist on the table forcefully, and the movement directed Kíli's gaze to the contents of the table between them: among two empty and a broken glass, he noticed two empty bottles of Fíli's favorite liquor, called The Best Friend.

They were drinking and traded stories. He smiled: perhaps he can join them.

Bard raised his glass to his lips to drink, but he miscalculated, and drops of the precious liquid were running down his chin.

"Careful!" Fíli cried out in panic. "That's the end of it!"

Bard managed to put down his glass before leaning forward, shaking. Kíli was worried for a moment, especially when he heard a strange whimpering sound from the man. Fíli, on the other hand, started snickering, and kicked his leg.

"Sit up," he ordered. "It comes back, you get no more!"

Bard sat up with great difficulty.

"No more – I can't stand up!"

"I can!" stated Fíli. He tried to prove it, but only his uncoordinated flailing saved him from falling face first into the glasses on the table. They found it funny: they started laughing until they couldn't breathe anymore.

Kíli had never seen his big brother so drunk. He always managed to sense the thin barrier between much and too much and stayed on the right side of it.

"Gina hate me for it," Bard explained. "She hate drink, Siggy's her."

Fíli nodded.

"Siggy's knew her. Tilda…" Bard struggled to find the right words, so he raised a finger and slowly signaled 'no' with it. Fíli nodded, curiously waiting for him to get to the point. "Siggy's… want like her to me."

Fíli nodded seriously. "There's no her."

"Siggy's like her. That's enough," Bard said with surprising clarity.

"Yeah, she's like her," Fíli agreed wearing a faraway look.

Bard nodded slowly, and Kíli furrowed his brows, trying to figure out how Fíli knew Bard's long dead wife. The same doubt occurred to Bard a little later.

"Gina?" he asked, unable to form a more articulate question. Fortunately, Fíli was in the same state of mind, and understood his meaning.

"No," he turned back to Bard. He snatched Bard's glass from the table. He raised it to his lips with a surprisingly steady hand, and tossed back the last drops of Bard's Best Friend. "Flor."

Kíli knew this name, but he was surprised that Bard seemed familiar with it too. Flor was the dwarrowdam who broke Fíli's heart a good fifteen years ago, in Ered Luin.

"Drink!" Bard hollered. He pouted when Fíli shook the empty glass, indicating they were out of alcohol.

"I drank!" he smiled. Bard started laughing, and Fíli joined.

Kíli felt his confused emotions tangle up even more. Seeing his brother laugh moments after saying his ex-lover's name was scary. Fíli hadn't called her by her name since she left him without a word, and came back to town with a husband. He usually spoke of her as _'Her'_ , even when they were still living in Ered Luin and Fíli had to address her face to face. His laughing made even less sense – Fíli's feelings about her were way too complicated for Kíli to understand, but Fíli usually looked simply angry at her.

It seemed his brother had no problem talking about her with _Bard._ Kíli felt jealousy surging up in him. He suddenly remembered all the 'secret kingly business' meetings, and he dropped the knife from his hand.

This… this friendship wasn't new, and this drinking wasn't an unusual occurrence.

Their attention snapped to him after hearing the clatter of the knife on the floor. Fíli drew a dagger from his sleeve, and clumsily dropped it. Kíli had never seen his brother drop one of his daggers. It prompted another laughing fit, though, and Fíli managed to pull another one, sloppily, but with a steadier hand.

"Intruder!" he growled, but his mind eventually caught up with his defensive reflexes. "Kíli?"

"That's me."

Kíli wasn't sure how they would react to his presence – he realized by now that he wasn't supposed to be here, and they weren't in their right mind. The wish to join them and learn what went on in here was burning a hole in his throat, but he didn't dare to ask.

"Good. Bring us more!" slurred Fíli, pointing in the general direction of the empty bottles.

"From where?"

"Secret stash," Fíli said, as if he was supposed to know where it was. Bard was looking wistfully at something on the other end of the room, and Kíli thought it might be a clue. He strode up to the cupboard, and opened it.

Nothing.

"Behind!" Fíli shouted the order. Kíli found the secret panel: next to five different types of very expensive liquor (perks of being king, huh), he found three more bottles of Best Friend. It seemed to be Bard's favorite too – or perhaps Fíli was a regular guest here.

He thought they would invite him to sit down, but when he put the bottle down to the table, they didn't even thank him. Fíli eagerly opened it.

"Where were we?"

"Siggy's like…" Bard helped out.

"Yeah, Siggy's like Flor!" Fíli said, and took a good swig straight from the bottle. Bard snatched it from him, and copied his action.

"How?"

"Friggin' Festival," Fíli complained, seemingly forgetting his brother's presence. He motioned for Bard to give the bottle back. Bard refilled his glass before doing so. "Flor," Fíli drank and Bard followed his example, "means flower. It's her festival. She's friggin' everywhere."

Fíli sounded actually vulnerable, and it felt like a punch in the stomach for Kíli. He had no idea such a small thing as a festival's name would affect him so strongly. At this point, he started to wonder…

"She's in everywhere, always, in my dreams, in my actions, my decisions, my… everything."

"Flor," said Bard. It didn't make sense to Kíli, until they both took a swig again. It seemed to be a drinking game.

"Thanks," Fíli said. "I needed it, but I can't say it anymore."

"You're welcome."

"She's everywhere, but only I can sense her. That's how it is usually," Fíli explained. Despite the increasing amount of alcohol they consumed, they seemed almost sober now.

"Yeah, Gina's here, too," Bard muttered, and added casually: "Flor."

Fíli snickered, and they drank.

"There is something purifying in a shot of Best Friend, don't you think?" asked Fíli philosophically, but continued without waiting for an answer. "So, she's in my head, in my heart, but now, she's _everywhere_."

"I can stop Siggy next year," Bard offered.

"No. I can deal. Just… this love-tour… everyone… no one…" Fíli seemed to lose his track, but he managed to catch onto a line of thought. "Siggy's like her."

Fíli saying Sigrid's pet name was the least disturbing part of the conversation so far, and that was saying something. That two had a strange relationship: they started out as friends, but Kíli knew about the veiled dislike they felt for each other. Fíli comparing her to Flor explained a lot. Kíli knew he should just leave quietly, but he had to hear more.

"She's like Flor," Fíli said, so lost in thought, he even forgot to drink. "Caring. Lost in details. Feminine. Petty. Coy."

"Stop it," Bard growled. "Siggy's not coy! I don't want to hear! She's not like her!"

"Flor took it all out from here," he pointed at his heart, "cut it out, took it apart, and threw the pieces back. Perhaps not all pieces."

"Yeah, Siggy's not like her."

Fíli nodded.

"The worst part is that if she would show up here now, I would… I would do anything she wants from me."

"Let's just pray she doesn't show up, then," Bard said.

They sat in silence for a while, contemplating their miserable love lives, so Kíli left with a whole lot of new knowledge.

Now, on the road to Mirkwood, he started to realize that he had made a mistake. He ran away because he felt overwhelmed and probably a good long talk with Fíli (and Mum too) would have cleared his head.

However, at that time he felt disappointed, rejected and confused.

Since the Quest and meeting Tauriel, he'd felt so grown-up. Losing Tauriel meant he had another common trait with his brother.

It seemed like he was sorely mistaken: Fíli had never talked to him about Flor like this, and regularly dismissed his love for Tauriel as a childish crush.

He'd never for a minute thought that Fíli might be right.

It was time to find out.

* * *

"Kíli was at Bard's!"

Fíli bolted up in his bed, suddenly awake. The realization came in his dreams, and he panicked, because he had no idea how long Kíli stayed there. He was in a pleasantly numb state, and he didn't want Kíli there, so he just ignored his presence.

Sadly, he had no idea _how long_ he ignored him, since time was a bizarre, otherworldly concept that night.

 _What has he heard?!_

When his panic slowly lessened and he could breathe evenly. The room was pitch dark. The fire must have died down, but it was too early for the servants to come and relight it before his usual waking time.

Fíli needed to get out.

He had been dreaming before he woke. It started as his usual nightmare: he saw everything in gold. Golden walls surrounded him, golden floor, golden ceiling, golden furniture. It didn't matter where he went, everything remained the same: shiny, sparkling metal covered every surface. Eventually, he always found Thorin, dressed in golden clothes, but at least his features looked natural.

No, not exactly natural. He wore the same glower as he did during his goldsickness. Fíli hated to see that cold, cruel expression on his uncle's face, but in his dream, he couldn't run away. Once he found Thorin, he stayed with him: always glaring at him with disdain. He didn't do anything else, only glared, but it was scary enough, and Fíli always woke up panicking. He needed a moment to realize that it was just a dream, and Thorin's sickness wasn't coming back.

Tonight, the dream changed for a moment. Fíli turned his back on Thorin. Usually, no matter where he turned, Thorin always appeared right in front of him, but this time, his surroundings changed to Bard's sitting room. He saw Kíli searching the 'Secret Stash' in the cupboard, and watched him putting a fresh bottle of Best Friend on the table.

It only lasted a moment before he woke up, but he knew it wasn't a dream – it was a memory. He and Bard were both very drunk that night. Fíli had holes in his memory, and he had no recollection how they managed to get up for the third bottle that Sigrid mentioned.

 _That's how._

He hastily put on some clothes. He had to get out.

* * *

Kasia spent the whole day in the infirmary, wallowing in guilt and occasionally freaking out. She should have known something was amiss: she hadn't seen Raya since she left her to her own devices in Dale. Raya was so sweet and reliable – and sinfully inept sometimes. She shouldn't have left her alone in a city of Men.

Next day, during lunch, she asked about her whereabouts. Someone suggested that she might have stayed in Dale for the night; maybe she was sneakier than _others_. It was impossible: it was completely out of character for Raya, and Kasia wanted to stride up to the malicious 'dam and yank on her stupid braids until they came loose from her scalp.

She had spent the rest of the day brooding and taking out her frustration mostly on Zaz. She was patiently listening to her doubts about Kíli, only occasionally making 'I-told-you-so' faces. Of course, it was her own stupidity which made her focus solely on the prince despite her intentions to avoid the royals, but acknowledging that Zaz might be right was just as humiliating as going to the Flower Festival without a date. True, Kíli found her accidentally after lunch, but why couldn't he ask her out?

All three of them – Raya, Zaz and Kasia – arrived about six weeks ago from the Iron Hills. Lady Vera, the wife of the Lord of the Iron Hills and Lady Dís, mother of the King of Erebor decided to revive an ancient tradition, the Spring Tour of Love, during which dwarrowdams travelled from their home to another dwarven settlement to find a husband. They were among the thirty-two dwarrowdams who made the journey from the Hills, and they've been living in Erebor since then.

They were preparing for dinner the day after the festival – Kasia was going through a list of names with Zaz about her potential new suitors, as she wasn't satisfied with the young prince's commitment – when Lady Vera asked every dwarrowdam to assemble in their common sitting room directly after the meal. She cited fatigue from their tour from the city of Men the previous day as a reason for calling off the usual party, but it was far from the truth.

She told them about Raya. She and Lady Dís told them she hadn't made it back from Dale, because her parents arrived earlier than planned and when they saw their daughter among Men, they abducted her. It didn't make sense.

King Fíli brought her back, though. He came to speak to the dwarrowdams personally. He still wore the same clothes as on the road, seeing their dirty and bloodied state. While he was as distant as ever, Kasia suddenly regretted every time she made fun of him or spoke about him with any amount of disrespect.

He was there for Raya when she needed someone, and he promised to be there for all of them. Kasia believed him. She only wished Kíli would be the same.

She asked to sit with Raya the next night. Kasia wasn't the most sympathetic soul on Middle-Earth, but Raya was a dear friend, and she would just sleep awfully again. She had too much on her mind: she hadn't seen Kíli since Dale; she started to doubt her decision to leave the safe familiarity of her home for the big, unknown mystery of Erebor; and she felt guilty for leaving Raya alone. She was such a sweet, loyal friend – Lady Vera said they would need to stick together in Erebor, and Kasia felt it was high time to do that.

The healers allowed her to stay. They gave her a chair, but except for a few basic instructions, they left her to her own devices. She wanted to do so much more! Seeing Raya was true horror. She had seen dwarves back at home with black eyes after a friendly fistfight, but Raya's bruises were far more extensive.

In the end, she had a healer fetch them a book of fairy tales. Raya liked those silly fantasies, and Kasia thought maybe hearing them can snap her out of the nightmare she seemed to be seeing still.

She could use a little reading-practice, too – there was no need for it at home, so she'd never bothered to learn. Now, in Erebor, she realized that without knowing her runes, she wouldn't really stand a chance against those intellectual ladies – most rich dwarves here wouldn't be swayed by a pretty smile, at least not enough to marry her. So, she practiced.

It also diverted her attention.

Fortunately, Raya didn't mind her often faltering voice. Time flew by unnoticed – she was about halfway through the book, when she felt Raya's attention shift.

She thought she was thirsty again, but when she looked up, she saw the King standing in the door, watching Raya. Weary and disheveled, he looked like an average dwarf now. Kasia wasn't really fond of him before, but by saving Raya, he fully, unquestionably deserved her gratitude.

"Your majesty," she stood, and greeted him with a deference she'd never shown to anyone.

"Can I come in?"

"Of course!"

He came closer, but refused the seat she offered to him. He looked hesitant, but Kasia could still feel a commanding presence radiating from him. She found it strange how easily his presence humbled her now.

"Are you comfortable?" he asked Raya. He was standing close to her bed, reaching out, but withdrawing his hand quickly. Kasia wondered if he had feelings for Raya. A day ago, she wouldn't approve, but now…

"She's not supposed to talk," she answered instead of Raya.

"Is she recovering well?" he turned to her.

"Yes, Your Majesty," she nodded, feeling tears gather in her eyes, "but it will take a long time. She has broken bones, Your Majesty!"

It was indeed dire: dwarven bones were sturdy, and it required a lot of force to break them.

The King calmly, silently contemplated this information, but Kasia felt overwhelmed.

"Thank you for saving her!"

The King actually blushed, which reminded Kasia that he was very young too, about twenty years younger than her. It only made her admire him more – she remembered well those confused early days of flirting, full of mishaps and uncontrollable bursts of emotion. His usual calm and confident demeanor must be very hard to keep all the time, considering.

"I'm glad someone is here with her," he said eventually. "Do you mind if I stay? You can continue reading."

Kasia obeyed, although self-consciously. The King didn't need to hear her fumbling with the words, but he rounded up a chair for himself and sat down, so she let herself get lost in the story again. When Raya drifted off to sleep, she decided she had practiced enough.

She checked Raya, and stole furtive glances at the King. He looked as distant as ever, but Kasia couldn't find fault with it now. Probably he had a lot to deal with – the thought had never occurred to her before. She always thought of him as an unpleasant, stuck up fellow. She'd never realized that he looked distant because he _was_ distant: he was their King, and instead of the trivial problems they were bickering about daily, he was solving real problems and defending his people. The reason he never mingled after dinner wasn't his haughty and condescending personality – he was simply out of her league, of every dwarrowdam's league here. She tried to picture the woman he could fall in love with, and the thought scared her. She must be truly, completely perfect.

Kasia had a million questions to ask, but she didn't want to disturb his peace. He had to sense her agitation, because he turned to her.

"Do you hear those legends about locking up dwarrowdams in the mountain for their safety and such nonsense?"

"Yes," Kasia answered, uncertain why he brought it up.

"This is what she asked me a couple of weeks ago at lunch. She said she was one of these dwarrowdams," he explained. "I had no idea they would hurt her to keep her safely tucked away."

"It's madness."

The King agreed. "We don't know much about what happened, but I won't allow…" He struggled with his emotions, but when he continued, his voice was clear and determined. "She's going to be alright, and she's going to be safe. I'm glad you're with her. You're a good friend."

Kasia blushed. "She's a good friend, too."

"She is."

He looked like he wanted to say something important. The romantic half of Kasia hoped he was preparing to confess his undying love for Raya, but she hoped in vain. He was preparing to break her heart.

"I hate to bring it up now, but I wanted to talk to you in private," he started. His tone suggested bad news. Kasia looked up, alarmed. "What's going on between you and my brother?"

Her fierceness returned with full force. "That's none of your business, Your Majesty!"

"I wanted to talk to you as a friend, as his brother," he started on a low, but stern voice, "but as King of Erebor, I have every right to ask if he has made any formal attachment to you. Or anyone else, perhaps."

Kasia paled.

"Anyone else?"

"You tell me." His face became an impenetrable mask, hiding every thought, every hint that would help Kasia.

"He's with someone else, isn't he?" She had already dealt with a nightmare today, she didn't want her own to come to life. She was supposed to play offended for a while, but eventually forgiving Kíli. Or perhaps seek out another dwarf in the meanwhile. He wasn't supposed to be leaving her. Now, she remembered every single clue Zaz pointed out, and she felt her heart crumble. "How could I be so stupid?"

The King's stern expression didn't soften.

"Answer first, please. Were you counting on a formal offer?"

"No," she said, astonished to realize it as the truth. "We weren't courting," she repeated, mostly to make herself believe it. "I thought perhaps… but… he's never said anything." She just assumed. "That son of a…"

" _That_ would be _my_ mother too," the King interrupted sharply. "When was the last time you saw him?"

"Why? What happened? Is he kidnapped too?!"

The King shook his head tiredly. "Answer me, please."

"Argh!" She was tugging on her beard in agony. She wanted to throw things at him, and only his title and newly gained hero status restrained her. "How can you stay so calm?"

He rewarded her outburst with an impatient glare.

"Fine! We met in Dale. He went for his horse, and I haven't seen him since."

"Did he say something?"

"He said a lot of things."

The King got up from his chair, his frustration showing in his posture. Somehow, he managed to speak calmly, but his words chilled Kasia to the bones.

"He left the Mountain shortly after. We're not sure if he's coming back in the near future, meaning months."

"WHAT?!" she shrieked.

"If you feel like taking a few minutes for yourself, I can stay with Raya for a while."

"Why? How could he?" Kasia stood in shocked silence for a minute. "He left. Zaz was right, and he was playing with me all along."

"I'm not sure he was playing with you," the King defended him. "He's a bit thick in the head. I'm not sure he realized you had… interest in him."

"But where would he go?"

His self-preservation kicked in and didn't answer this question.

Kasia shook her head from time to time, as if trying to shake away the truth. He was watching her with sympathy.

"Will you be alright?"

The genuine question surprised her. She nodded, and watched as he left.


	2. Things We Don't Have To Like

**Things We Don't Have To Like**

"Fíli, King of Erebor!"

The usual scraping sounds followed the announcement of the Master of Ceremonies. Fíli stopped at the head of the table, and motioned for them to sit. He stayed upright: he intended to broach a very dangerous topic, and he knew he wouldn't be able to stop fidgeting. Standing lent him a sense of authority.

He felt the anxiety of his council: they were present during the questioning. During the rescue mission, Dwalin made a good job of scaring the culprits into compliance, and when they realized that it was indeed the King Under the Mountain who threatened them with a death penalty, they told everything.

Neither of them felt any remorse.

They thought that if they explained that Raya is their daughter and they were just concerned, so they took her home, Fíli would forgive everything, and let them leave – with Raya, of course.

Fíli was appalled.

He was aware that different dwarven realms kept different customs, and he also knew that Erebor was still a mess, thus very liberal in regard of traditions. At home, these parents could do anything to their daughter, especially since she rarely left the family quarters. Of course, at home, they had no need to beat her into obedience, but as she was fighting against her guards, it couldn't be avoided.

They didn't understand his point of view. He felt repulsed by theirs.

Fíli cleared his throat, and started to recite the speech he memorized to summarize the case.

"According to dwarven laws, over the age of fifty, everyone is held accountable for their actions. The group of dwarves, lead by Raya's own parents, Lommo and Aysha, violated our laws by abducting and assaulting her when she was returning from Dale to Erebor. They must be brought to trial for these actions. As per their request, I have to mention that Raya shouldn't have left the Mountain at all, and they perceived some sort of danger, but they couldn't verify the truth of these claims, nor specify the nature of this danger. As participant of the Spring Tour of Love, Raya is currently a citizen of Erebor, and being well over the age of fifty, she has the right to speak for herself. She is allowed to go out to Dale, especially as it was part of the program she had signed up for with her parents' permission. I don't know about any laws _anywhere_ forbidding leaving the mountains, but we have no such law in Erebor."

He drank a few sips from the glass of water (usually prepared to his seat for these meetings) to stall. He wanted a reaction from anyone: even though he had seen his fair share of petty cases, he had never faced such a grievous crime during his short reign. He was deciding about _lives_. He felt the pressure, and although he had an idea what to do, he wanted reassurance. He wanted to see if anyone thought like him.

No one spoke up.

He looked around, meeting every single pair of eyes. He inherited Thorin's council from Ered Luin: relocated guild leaders, Durin-cousins and a few new positions for members of the Company.

Most of them looked shocked and confused, not ready to pass judgment. They would accept his decision without questions – or perhaps they wanted to see if he would measure up to their expectations.

He looked at the cousins, who always loyally stood by Thorin.

Dwalin did not meet his eyes, but he already knew his opinion. Dwalin was always ready to kill and maim and torture, but to beat your kin into submission? His answer would be to mirror the actions. And kill them, just to be sure.

Glóin frowned. Fíli knew that if anyone would raise a hand against his son, he would retaliate without a second thought. He also knew the protective feelings of a father.

Óin, seeing her injuries, had advised that she should be kept away from her parents if their over-protective tendencies caused her such harm.

Balin looked at him, closely monitoring his facial expressions. He was waiting for Fíli to come to a decision, never making up his own mind. Perhaps Thorin liked his style of counseling – always presenting every side of the debate, without expressing an opinion – but Fíli preferred his mother's way: support or explicit disagreement.

She wasn't here, though. She wished to pursue her own interests, after taking care of local debacles in Thorin's name for decades, and refused an official position here. She was busy organizing the Spring Tour, and didn't want to influence Fíli either way. Despite that, Fíli thought of how Amad raised them with little help, how strong she'd always been, how she cherished her independence… That's why he helped Raya in the first place: he wanted her to experience these feelings.

Thorin looked amused. He spoke up when their eyes met.

"What are you planning to do?"

Fíli feared this question, and especially feared that it would come from Thorin.

He happily accepted the crown when Thorin renounced it in the aftermath of the Quest, but Thorin couldn't stop meddling, which made Fíli second-guess himself.

He tried to hide his insecurity: there was no place for doubt here. As he stared back at Thorin, he saw not the ex-king, but his uncle looking at him, encouragement shining in his warm eyes to make the next step.

"I'm planning to do what we've been doing so far," he announced. "It keeps the petty crimes low. I think it's fitting in this case as well."

"Consistency is always a good idea," Thorin approved. "Aren't you afraid it will be perceived as too small of a punishment?"

"No," he answered firmly. "We will hold a public trial. It will be clear for anyone: harming a citizen of Erebor will always have consequences."

Thorin nodded. "They will feel safer witnessing that."

Fíli was extremely grateful for his presence now.

"You haven't mentioned yet what you have in mind exactly," Balin added.

"Banish them, shave them and take off the offending body parts."

Fíli felt them shuddering. Life with disability wasn't impossible, but losing a hand and be marked as a criminal wouldn't allow any sense of normalcy.

He shrugged inwardly. They had a chance to speak up. _He_ had a responsibility to make a decision. He looked at Thorin again: at least he understood. He nodded almost imperceptibly, but it meant the world for Fíli in this moment.

Of course, Balin immediately picked apart the verdict.

"They will feel safe, but they will also fear punishment more. A harsh punishment can be a deterrent to commit crimes, but can also deter the reporting of crimes."

"What's so harsh about it?" Dwalin argued. "They should be glad to only lose a hand or two, if we're lucky."

"There is no reason to awake fear in the people," Balin countered. "They aren't as used to violence as we are. Most of them will find it shocking."

"Who cares? Finding the girl would have shocked them then, and no one would have brought the poor thing back here!" Dwalin shrugged, crossing his arms in front of his chest, signaling he had nothing more to say.

"I took Raya into consideration, too." Fíli did, even though he knew he should be impartial. Balin didn't hesitate to tell him so, but he continued. "Raya is a new citizen here, and she arrived at my mother's invitation. She expressed her wish to stay here, when I told her of her parents wish to take her home. Also, it's about her family, and the traditions they have been living by. I want our citizens, new and old, to know that they are living under Erebor's law and Erebor's customs now, and they have to abide these laws, but will be protected by them too. I want to make a statement that no one, not even misguided familial feelings can stand against my word.

"On the other hand, I don't want to keep dwarves away because of our less than traditional views – I cannot reward a father for protecting his daughter with death, no matter what methods he used. Nobody got killed, and Raya didn't want to charge her parents with anything, and I think their death-penalty would be more traumatic to her. We cannot fight close-mindedness with a killing spree, but I want to keep it outside."

Finally, Balin accepted, too. Everyone else nodded their agreement. It felt like a heavy stone had dropped from his heart – he could take a deep breath now, until he remembered that he would have to pass the judgment in public too.

"So, when can we arrange the trial?" he asked, taking a seat and hoping that no one noticed the slight tremble in his voice.

They discussed the details of the trial in length, and went on to other topics.

Dwarven families arrived every day, keeping the growth of Erebor's population steady. The reconstructions were generally going well, and they needed to reorganize, maybe even expand the market place, as the number of the merchants and the visitors increased constantly. There was also the matter of the water supply: the dragon's destruction altered the course of the river, and they only found its new path two months ago. Reconnecting the plumbing system to the river was a crucial project, but thanks to the talented cartographer, who arrived with Dís, Fíli had more ambitious plans. He wanted to rein in the power of the water before refilling the pipes, but for sanitary reasons, they decided to build a public bath first.

After they went through all these points, the discussion slowed a little. As they still had a little time before lunch, they started talking about more trivial matters: their families, their hobbies, or hot gossip about the Spring Tour of Love. Only Fíli sat nervously biting his lip: he had another topic to bring up. Although the upcoming situation was impossible to hide, he hadn't notified anyone previously.

He looked around, taking in the happy, peaceful scene: a rare occurrence in this room. He hated to disturb it, but he had to.

"I have another announcement to make," he said.

All attention snapped at him. They thought it must be a personal matter so late in the meeting, but oh, how wrong they were! It was strictly business, but such a kind that even the greediest of dwarves would consider carefully (if at all).

"As you know, I am contacting other leaders about peace treaties, trade agreements and out of general goodwill."

He heard approving murmurs. So far, so good, but now, he had to get to the difficult part.

"As a result, I agreed to receive an envoy from Lórien."

The approval swiftly turned into loud disapproval. Fíli let them swear and rage to express their less than favorable sentiments about those despicable pixies. He avoided looking anyone in the eye, fearing an angry retort – he just had to wait it out. They would calm down and if not agree, at least accept his plans. Eventually.

"Laddie, what do you mean by it? Are they sending you gifts again?" Balin asked, trying to pick up his role as a voice of reason.

"I mean that an envoy is arriving from Lórien in the coming weeks. They will send word from Dale."

His explanation earned another bout of protests.

"What are they thinking? What are _you_ thinking? Will you just jump and go when they call for you? Surely you will set the time for the meeting and make them wait!"

Fíli inhaled deeply, and let out the air slowly to delay the inevitable.

"I won't go anywhere. They are stopping in Dale to recover from their journey. They will send word, so I can make time for greeting them when they come to the Mountain."

Curiously, this shut them up.

"They are coming to Erebor? They are coming inside the mountain?" Glóin asked, the first to shake off his disbelief.

"Exactly."

"You cannot be serious!"

Fíli looked at Thorin, who spoke up with unexpected passion.

"I am serious."

"Stupid boy!" Thorin spat, anger distorting his face.

Fíli didn't acknowledge the insult, but he stared him down.

"I've been corresponding with Lady Galadriel for months now, preparing an agreement. They are offering us trade and their knowledge in an area in which we do not have any expertise, nor has Dale. I accepted her propositions."

"How could you?!" Thorin stood up forcefully, slamming his hand on the table. "Have you learnt nothing? Elves are known to be saying all those pretty words, but they are worth nothing! They lie, and they will laugh in your face when you call them out on their promises!"

Fíli stared up at him, not willing to rise to the bait.

"I'm willing to take that chance."

Thorin slammed his hand on the table again.

"I'm not watching you lose the mountain we've just taken back on our own!" he growled, and left the room.

"I think you should think it through, Fíli," Balin advised kindly. "We understood when you gave shelter to the Men of Dale after the battle, for they had nowhere else to go. We also accepted the few elven healers to stay. It was unusual, but understandable. This time is different. We don't know their true intentions. We can't trust them."

"I'm aware," Fíli said, "But if we only allowed those to enter who we can certainly trust, the only inhabitants of Erebor would be us: the Company and our families."

Balin looked at him sadly. "I fear you are making a mistake."

"Duly noted, Balin, thank you," said Fíli, struggling to stay calm. He avoided looking at the others. "I think this is a discussion for another day," he said, but his tone implied that it was not up for discussion.

Fíli stood and dismissed the council. He left before anyone could join him.

* * *

To avoid his livid councilors, he sought out his mother for lunch. He told her everything.

"Do you think I'm making a mistake?" he asked. If there was a person in this mountain who could sway him, it was her.

Dís took a long time to consider it.

"Eat!" she ordered her son. Fíli was picking on his food again, and Dís didn't like it. She had been putting his favorite foods on the table since Raya's abduction – her sweet, reliable son deserved a little spoiling after the successful rescue mission – but he barely ate. "You're surely making a mistake by not eating properly!"

Now, Fíli obediently put bite after bite into his mouth. He cocked an eyebrow, as if saying _'See? I'm eating, you can answer now!'_ Dís smiled at his impertinence.

"I don't know if it's a mistake. Only time will tell."

"That's very reassuring, thank you, Amad," he answered sarcastically.

"That's the truth. I don't like elves any more than the average dwarf. I can relate to Thorin's anger too well."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she said, reaching out to his hand. "Remember, sometimes we need to do things we do not really like or do not want to for the result we seek. Not all of us have the luxury of cursing whoever we don't like and go on as if nothing happened."

Fíli nodded. If someone, his mother knew the feeling all too well.

Fíli barely remembered his father, who died shortly after Kíli's birth, but he remembered the restless days and constant hard work, the loneliness and the helplessness, the void he had left in their family. Thorin and their cousins were traveling: looking for work, ensuring the safety of dwarves, helping them settle down in Ered Luin. Dís was left behind with her little sons, living in a small cottage near the yet uncarved mountain, but close to the village of Men. While she had a talent with stone, she couldn't do heavy work with two dwarfling around, and the small jobs didn't pay enough. Fíli remembered her desperation, the tears that she couldn't hide, but she gritted her teeth and took whatever work she could find to get by.

"The timing is inconvenient, too."

"Should I call it off?"

"Definitely not!" she exclaimed, almost jumping out of her seat.

Her outburst confused Fíli.

"Then what should I do now?"

"Go through with it. Sit down, think it through, though I1m sure you've already done that. Talk to Bard, he's not so biased."

"Actually, we came up with the idea together."

"That's good. You should tell your hard-headed council this and involve him more. Talk about the benefits – their personal benefits, I mean."

Fíli chew in silence, a plan forming in his mind.

"It's going to be difficult. You have to be careful. They think they have a right to be angry, but do not let them forget that you are their king, and not the other way around. And if Thorin gives you grief, let me handle him."

"Then you can start handling him," he said bitterly.

"That's a deal." Dís was watching him intensely. He was so grown up and so troubled! He was also missing his brother, she suspected, but he wouldn't say a word. "You know," she continued, "this is why you are a better king than Thorin could ever be. You are rising above old grudges, and working for a better future. His pride would never allow him to accept any contact with elves, but you aren't so prejudiced."

Fíli snorted. He didn't like elves either, but they had something he wanted, so he took the deal.

"This is why they accepted _you_ as king instead of Thorin. He's… He worked so hard to ensure mere survival, he forgot about striving for more. He wouldn't be able to take these steps and he knows it too. You shouldn't let his comments bother you. Go through with it, but be cautious."

"I am cautious." He was. Both he and Galadriel knew that their exchange was delicate, and could easily turn problematic.

"I know," she smiled.

* * *

 **A/N:** The trial is coming up, and elves are coming too - yes, the story is starting, and I have a much clearer concept about the plot than in the prequel. At least it sounds clearer to me :)

Anyway, **thanks** for the follows, favorites and reviews! Next chapter is coming sooner than this one! (I just have to finish this neverending assignment for uni... until friday.)

Until then!

SV


	3. Law

**A/N:** It seems this chapter took just as long as the previous one... Personal rant coming.

I'm sick, again.

I've always been very healthy, but in the last few years, I'm catching everything that comes my way. When the weather turns a little colder, I'm the first one to come down with a cold. And the fever! I used to know all the tricks to manipulate the thermometer, because my parents would send me to school if I'm not feverish - and my body simply refused to go feverish. Lately though? I'm catching every simple cold, and I have fever every time too - and that's just the start. I'm sick of it! (Pun intended.) And I was so proud of myself, because I managed this winter so well... but it seems the Powers That Be wouldn't let me get away with it.

Personal rant over - here's the new chapter, I hope you like it! As always, thank you for every review/fav/follow!

Sky

* * *

 **Law**

The trial was held two days later, in the morning. Raya was doing well enough to attend; she insisted on coming despite the protest of the healers and the visiting dwarrowdams. Lady Dís put an end to the debate: if she wanted to go, she is free to go. It's better if she can face her fears on her own terms, and protecting her from perceived harm is just what she had to face for all her life.

It was clear for all that Raya wasn't really doing well. She was jumpy and quiet, and although her bruises started to fade, her face still displayed various shades of yellow and her hand was held up in a sling. Despite all of this, she walked down from the infirmary to the Ruby Hall, where the trial was held.

How different it looked now compared to the mystique air during her first night here! It was lit brightly, and the rubies on the wall reminded her of splashed blood.

 _Please, Mahal, let me see as little of it as possible!_ she prayed. Fíli came to talk to her about her parents, but he wouldn't reveal his decision.

She didn't want to see them die, even though most of her friends reassured her it would be a perfectly understandable feeling. They weren't really bad parents; sure her life was boring, but they'd never hurt her before. They must have had their reasons now.

On the other hand, she liked her new life in Erebor, and she hoped she can keep her newfound independence.

Lady Dís hadn't left her side since early morning, and now, she led her to a side-stage.

"Here we are. You can hear and see everything, but I wouldn't have you gawked at by the public. Your parents will be the spectacle," she said, her voice stern, but reassuring.

Raya hesitated to ask if she knew the verdict, and decided against it. She felt strangely numb now as she sat just a few feet from the place where her whole past was going to officially crumble, and her future begins. She should feel something. She should be angry or vindictive or liberated; or at least overwhelmed and confused if she couldn't pick one.

She was just sad, lonely, and eerily numb.

Fíli arrived with his entourage, and the guards brought in her parents and their accomplices.

 _Accomplice._ Such a rude word; they were just employees, probably only obeying Papa. She told that to Fíli.

Raya didn't pay attention to the whole trial. Lady Dís and Lady Vera explained to her what would happen. At first, they will tell the public what happened. Then, her parents will have a chance to explain, there will be a few questions, and finally, the verdict. Fíli asked Raya if she wanted to speak up, but she refused. What could she say? Thankfully, he didn't force her into anything. He was very nice.

She vaguely heard the reactions of the crowd. A lot of dwarves came to see, and according to Lady Dís, a lot of dwarrowdams, not only the Spring Travelers. She ignored everything and everyone, until Lady Dís squeezed her arm.

"It's time for the verdict."

Raya nodded and looked up. Her parents and the other dwarves were on their knees, in a straight line before the dais, where King Fíli stood.

"…lose the offending body parts…banished from Erebor…"

She cried. They won't die. They can return to their home, and live. Perhaps Raya will never see them again, but eventually, that would've happened anyway when she married.

"Are you alright?" Lady Dís whispered. Raya nodded, fighting her tears, her sobs. "You don't have to look, but it would be best if you can stay in the room until they carry out the sentence."

Raya nodded, and tried to calm down. Strangely, she managed to do it within seconds – it was like an out of body experience. (It wasn't the first one in the last days; she was becoming an expert.)

The Master of Ceremonies was holding his notes, reading out the exact punishments per person: to take a hand off of those who beat her and kidnapped her – their better hands.

They cleaned up a small area for the… _execution of the verdict._ Raya looked at Lady Dís.

"They will take off their hands right here, won't they?"

"Yes."

They brought in a table, and Raya watched with fascination as they placed different devices on it. Two healers came in, and Raya realized they were going to do it. Fíli could have just cut off their hands and kick them out of the Mountain, hoping for them to die from blood loss or infection, but he wanted them to recover and live with their punishment. He was both considerate and merciless.

Four dwarves were sentenced to lose their hand and their hair to be shaved, and two, who hadn't touch her according to the statements, were sentenced only to public shaving. They wouldn't be seen as honorable for a year or two at least in any dwarven settlement.

However, her father didn't strictly touch her, only ordered his men to _'do whatever they need to bring her back'_.

He was loudly avowing his innocence in the matter now, but King Fíli wouldn't have it. He put up a hand to halt every talk in the Hall.

"So you didn't actually beat her?"

"Exactly what I'm saying, Your Majesty," her father bowed deeply. Fíli nodded.

"But you said the words, and I quote, _'bring her back to me, with force if necessary'_. Is it correct?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," he answered eagerly.

"So you are saying your hands didn't offend your daughter in any way."

"Exactly, Your Majesty."

Raya sat completely still, and alert. Perhaps Papa will get away without a punishment? He only wanted to keep her safe, after all! And what about Mama? They haven't clarified her punishment yet.

"But you gave the order to harm her," Fíli stated, "which means you are responsible. Fine," he turned to his council, and then, back to the public. "He can keep his hand, cut out his tongue instead."

The public, already shocked by seeing hands getting chopped off right before their eyes, took in the new verdict in stunned silence. Her father wailed miserably, trying to prove he had beaten her with both of his hands, but leave his tongue. Her mother was weeping silently. Raya felt a strange spark of interest: _now what?_

Her mother, as a silent accomplice, was sentenced to be shaved, too. She was crying, but more for her husband than for herself. Raya knew Mama would never do anything without Papa – she had no personality, no desires aside from being a good wife to her husband. Papa losing his ability to speak shook Mama even deeper than him.

Raya felt the first sparks of hatred when they dragged forward her flailing and wailing father. _Papa will live without ever talking again._ She had always hated his cruel, degrading comments and strict, humiliating views about her abilities. _His words can't hurt me again._

She watched intently as they held him down, pried his mouth open and grabbed his tongue with a pair of tongs. He was given some kind of sedative, but he was struggling.

"Hold still! It's going to kick in soon!" a healer shouted, but Papa managed to get one of his hands free, and with an uncoordinated, but forceful movement, he shoved one of the dwarves away. The others tried to overpower him, but in vain. "He will tear his own tongue out!" the healer shouted in panic. It was true: Papa was trying to pull the tongs out, but the contraption was already firmly fixed to hold his mouth and his tongue for the surgery.

He was screaming in panic and in pain, and Raya saw as his legs were kicking in random directions. The healers tried to give him more sedatives, one of them even shouted to simply knock him out, but they had no tool for that. Suddenly, she heard a strange noise, as if something broke, the healers panicked and shouted quick, short orders, but soon, they stopped, and stepped away from her father.

He wasn't kicking anymore.

One of the healers quickly run up to the King, and whispered something. The King looked at him in disbelief. Raya looked again at her father… the healers stood, facing the King, and no one was tending to Papa.

"He's dead."

The King's voice rang clearly in the shocked silence of the Hall. No one dared to even breathe too loudly, except for Raya's mother, who wailed loudly, and run up to her husband's body. The King continued.

"Lommo, son of Grom, was too much of a coward to face the punishment for his crimes, and his cowardice made him kill himself. Let's pray for his guilty soul."

The crowd obeyed, and Raya felt everyone around her bowing their heads, murmuring the words of the Prayer for Those Who Leave.

After the prayer, the King went to check the body, gave instructions to his guards to remove him from the Hall. A guard tried to help Mama up, but she wouldn't move from her position, wrapped around Papa's body. Raya felt a chill run up her spine, when someone from the crowd, who stood close enough to the scene, spoke up.

"She's dead too!"

Panic broke out. They could handle one accidental death – they had seen the struggle, they had seen it happen – but this one, they couldn't comprehend. It must have happened during the prayer: no one paid attention, and the guard found discoloration around her mouth and the gem missing from one of her rings when he lifted her up. Poison. Raya felt a bubble of laugh rising in her throat, and she couldn't help it. Fortunately, as the strange voice escaped her, everybody thought that she was hysterical – perhaps she was. Suddenly, something took the place of the numbness – something pleasant and empowering and scary.

Her mother couldn't survive his husband's death. They were both so weak, in their own way; Raya had never noticed it, but now, it was clear as a spring afternoon over Dale.

And she – she was free and she was strong.

* * *

Nori left the tavern, and checked whether someone was stupid enough to follow him.

The evening went well: the trial caused great panic amidst the lowlife of Erebor. The two accidental deaths didn't scare the petty criminals – no, they weren't so cowardly to try and escape a punishment, but they wouldn't be so stupid to admit anything either. No, it was the King's unfaltering calmness that scared them.

Fíli did well. He acted like he didn't care, because they harmed his people. No one wanted to get on the bad side of someone who didn't show any remorse for the death of their enemies.

Nori smiled at the thought – Fíli had always had potential. He wasn't so sentimentally rigid as his predecessor. He had his priorities clear: what's his is his, and shall not be touched. Nori could relate to these views better than to Thorin's moralizing.

Fíli thought he was the law in Erebor.

Nori had to smile. Even though he had great potential, Fíli was just a sweet boy now.

 _Nori_ was the law.

The large piles of gold in Erebor attracted various kinds of thieves and frauds, and most of them were clever enough to stay undetected – fortunately, he knew all their secret methods and the telltale signs that someone was planning crime.

Yes, he'd spent most of his life on the other side of the law, but now, he had a large fortune, that he'd actually _worked for_. He had no intention losing one tiny piece of it. He wasn't going to let them close enough to even _look_. To touch, certainly not.

He knew what to look for, so he took on the role of a vigilante. He removed any threat before they had a chance to act. No one was going to touch the money he'd actually _earned_ , and that was the end of it.

Aside from that, he was walking on the right side of the line now. Sort of. He knew he would never be considered an honest, upright citizen, but after seeing these folks who took and beat up their daughter, he felt quite good about himself.

He approached the corridors of the Spring Travelers, and listened for any noise. He opened a door, and got inside swiftly.

He crouched down next to the bed, softly caressing the hair away from Alin's face. She woke immediately.

"Hello lover," she greeted him, sitting up and pulling him closer for a kiss. Oh, how he loved her!

They made love, and he got in the bed beside her. She snuggled up to him, as usual, clinging to him as if it would keep him here until the morning.

"How are you?" he asked her.

She shook her head, and sighed, bravely holding back her tears. "I can't say. The trial was horrible. I so wished you could be there holding my hand, or holding me so I don't have to watch…"

"You could have turned away if you didn't want to watch," Nori commented.

"Yes, I know, I just…"

"I'm sorry," he said, realizing that he didn't really understand Alin's problem. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you, but I'm here now. Talk to me."

"It was horrible! How can something so horrible happen to someone as sweet as Raya? I know I should've visited her, but I just can't…"

Alin was deeply upset by Raya's kidnapping. She came from a similar family, except for the insane lock-up. She was rich and pampered and protected all her life. Nori knew that seeing these deaths must have terrified her, and he wished with all his heart to stand by her in those moments, but…

But he didn't want to drag her down with him. If those less than honorable dwarves knew he had such a treasure, they would know where to strike. She wasn't safe being with him. He had to keep her a secret for now.

"I'm here now. And I'm not going to let anything like that happen to you."

She kissed him gratefully.

"I know. And I love you for it."

"I love you too."

"My parents are coming to visit soon."

"I know."

"Will you meet them?"

Now, that was a difficult question. Nori sure as hell didn't want to gain any parent's approval, because it was impossible. They somehow managed to sneak around under her overbearing sister's nose, too. He didn't even want to introduce her to his brothers, because he just _knew_ what they would say. Or what anyone would say. That was the other reason to keep it a secret.

"Maybe," he said.

"We don't have to tell them that we are together. Just… talk to them during dinner, or something like that. You will like them."

Nori had no trouble believing that; they had created his wonderful lady love, after all. She was so much more than he'd ever thought to find! She was very young, but very pretty, with a lithe figure and a distinctive shade of red-blonde, curly hair. She lacked any artifice and her heart of gold accepted him as he was.

"Fine, I will," he said. "I will talk to them."

"Thank you."

No matter what she asked, he couldn't say no. She drifted off, and he hoped he can ward off the nightmares the trial would create otherwise. He kissed her forehead, and tried to come up with a plan to both talk to Alin's parents and avoid Dís' suspicious glares (and she must have told Fíli too about seeing him here!), until he fell asleep.

* * *

Kíli arrived at the edge of the Mirkwood forest at midday, but decided to spend the night still outside. He left Erebor almost a week ago, but there was no sign of a search party. Perhaps Fíli was angry at him, or he accepted that he had to find out the truth of his feelings. Whatever – Fíli probably had his reasons; he was a lot cleverer than Kíli, so Kíli decided to continue his quest.

He finally entered the forest with apprehension, but no giant spiders were waiting in the trees to jump at him immediately. No elves were waiting for him with arrows pointing at his heart. He continued his journey, and started to doze off in the warm and humid air. The light was getting weaker, and he nearly fell off his pony a few times. He decided to get off and lead her by the reins. His steps often faltered, but he was determined to get to his destination.

He had no idea where to find Tauriel, but the Elvenking's place would be a good start.

He stumbled again, and fell to his knee. Before he had a chance to get up and pull a weapon, he heard a voice:

"You are not welcome here, Dwarf. State your reason of coming or I shoot you, in the name of my father who is King here, and by extension, I am the law now."

Kíli felt anger wash over him. He finally found that arrow pointing at him, but why did that pretentious bastard have to be on the other end?


	4. Rebuilding

**Rebuilding**

The construction of the baths was rapidly approaching its finish, so Fíli decided to visit again. Unfortunately, there was no Kíli to keep him company this time – he sorely missed his brother, but at the same time, he was fervently nursing a grudge over his leaving, so he can scold him properly when he comes back. Instead, he had to put up with Balin's constant presence: since the trial, he wouldn't leave him alone.

The two deaths during the trial resulted in mild, but quiet panic, shock and a few exaggerated gossips. He can placate the people with the baths, though – the same couldn't be said about Balin, who thought he wasn't really feeling the weight of this regrettable development.

"Are you sure you don't need a little rest?" he asked, worry interwoven with chiding in his voice.

Fíli didn't need rest.

"Perhaps we should've considered it a little longer. It was a delicate case, after all."

Yes, it was a delicate case, and his decision on the spot about tongue-tearing may be seen as hasty, but he anticipated this turn, prepared for it with the healers, and he knew he was right.

"Perhaps we can sit down one day, and analyze your decision, if you feel up to it."

Fíli would never feel up to it. His mind worked differently than Thorin's, and he didn't need a thorough analysis to understand his motifs and purposes.

He wanted to get over it as quickly as he could, but he couldn't explain it in words that Balin would understand.

He felt he made a declaration that he would protect his people, and that offenders will have to face the consequences. Those consequences can be dire, and they weren't brave enough to face them. Balin thought that he should be troubled by their deaths, but Fíli saw them as threat, and now that the threat was removed, he relaxed. He had never cared about the further well-being of offenders. He certainly hadn't lost any sleep, not over this. Their own fears killed them, not him.

The other, more urgent problem was to ensure a peaceful stay for the elves. Balin hadn't mentioned them at all since the initial announcement, but Fíli felt that his advices of caution and slowing down weren't only about the trial, but about the elves as well.

Thorin wasn't so considerate: he visited Fíli in his study to talk about his concerns after the trial, but in truth, he only brought up the elves impending arrival, and threw a tantrum to express his disapproval. Fíli tried to explain his reasons, but he didn't listen. In the end, Fíli stood and left his study – he took Amad up on her offer. Since then, he hadn't seen Thorin at all.

When Balin offered to accompany him to the baths, Fíli dreaded the long way, filled with kind inquiries and thinly veiled reproach. His mind quickly came up with an excuse: he wanted to make a detour to talk to Raya in private. This, at least pleased Balin, and they parted ways.

Raya looked pathetic. Most of the bruises on her face healed, but the colors gave place to a scary, numb expression. A dwarrowdam, Malin, sat with her, but her fussing met with indestructible ignorance. Fíli felt sympathy, since losing her parents must have hit her hard, despite what they'd done, but he also felt responsible for her, so he wouldn't let her wallow in her misery.

"Hello, Raya." His tone demanded her attention, but she barely acknowledged his presence.

Malin, on the other hand, quickly stood and bowed.

Fíli turned to her. "Can you give us a minute, please?"

She scurried out of the room.

"How are you?" he asked Raya, sitting down to the chair Malin occupied a minute ago. Since Raya didn't answer, Fíli continued. "You can ignore me all you want; I can learn more about your health from the healers anyway. You look better, so maybe you can leave the infirmary finally, and move back to your room. Wouldn't it be better?" he asked casually.

Raya started sniffing, so Fíli pushed on. Her stubborn sulking reminded him of a young Kíli. He wouldn't comfort her until she gave him a real reaction.

"I think it will be good for you. The sooner you return to your life, the better." She shut her eyes tightly. "Your parents wouldn't want to see you fade away."

"Don't talk about my parents!" she snapped. She met his eyes with such a fierce glare that he would find frightening, had he not been looking for it. He wanted to smile in relief: she had the fire to push her through this period. Finding himself on the receiving end of her anger surprised him, though.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't ' _sorry'_ me!" she screamed, pointing a finger at him. "This is all your fault! They are all saying that it was just an accident, that they were cruel, and I should be glad to be finally rid of them, let's go and have some fun, but I can't, because they are my parents, and you killed them!"

Fíli didn't find it funny anymore.

He talked to her before the trial. He wanted to grant her the possibility to reconcile with her parents. He had faced disapproval since the trial from several direction and several dwarves, but he got over it – Raya, though, had every right to be angry, to blame him, because there was no one else living to blame.

There was a slight possibility that she just needed to vent her anger on someone, but she might feel true disdain, and he couldn't resent her for it.

"Should I go?"

"YES!" She threw her pillow at him to give more weight to her answer. Fíli caught it, but took the hint. He looked back once more from the doorway, only to see her burying her face in her good hand, and sobbing silently.

"Are you sure?"

"No."

He walked back to the bed, slowly raising a hand to touch her shoulder. She didn't pull away, so he sat down next to her, hoping she wasn't baiting him closer only to murder him now.

To his relief, she was honestly crying, and allowed him to put an arm around her shoulders. It had been a long time since he had last comforted a dwarrowdam apart from Amad, but the motions came instinctively. He didn't even had to pretend that Raya was someone else ( _Her_ ): he genuinely cared for her, and he felt the familiar strain of responsibility crawling up on his spine, the same he always felt when Kíli got into trouble.

Raya responded after a while, and instead of silently hiding behind her hand, she clung to his shoulder, and tried to get lost in his arms. She was weeping and shaking, still very quiet, and Fíli started murmuring sweet nothings only to comfort her a little more.

"I'm so sorry!" she said suddenly, pushing herself away just far enough to look him in the eye. "It's not your fault! I wouldn't ever be able to hate you!"

"It's alright," Fíli shushed her.

"It's really not! I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I shouldn't have let you come back and comfort me! I shouldn't have come here at all, and then none of it would have happened!" she cried.

"That's stupid and you know it," said Fíli firmly. "This is your home now. It's your choice how you live your life. You can be happy, but you have to want it and work for it."

His words prompted another bout of tears, and he drew her back into his arms. His right hand made soothing circles on her back, while he tried to push her hair out of her face with the left. Her beautiful, golden hair hung in knots, dimmed by the lack of care, which disturbed him greatly. He likened her to sunshine sneaking into the mountain after their first meeting, but with her shy, caressing smile gone, nothing remained of her warmth. He hated to see her like this.

"Oh, Raya," he sighed.

She looked up at him questioningly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Fíli cupped her face, and studied her carefully. The emptiness in her eyes gave place to sorrow and fear. Her lips trembled, as she fought the urge to start weeping again.

"Everything will be alright," he promised seriously.

"Do I have to go back to my room?" she asked on a small voice.

"Yes, eventually. The sooner, the better," he said, while brushing back an unruly lock of hair from her temple.

"I don't want to," she pouted. "I know the girls mean well, but most of them say these cruel things…" she let out a sob, then another, but managed to focus on talking again. "They also say that everyone knows what happened to me. I don't want to find a husband anymore!"

"And I don't want to find a wife," he confided in her.

Her eyes rounded comically, and she shook her head. The movement resulted in several locks of hair ending up in her face again, and Fíli pushed them back, annoyed.

"Why don't you…"

"That's my business, and mine alone. You are not to talk about it, alright?" he said sternly. When she nodded, he spoke again. "Do you have a comb here?"

She pointed at the bedside table. He took up the hairbrush.

"Turn around," he instructed her, and started to comb her hair with his fingers first.

"What are you doing?"

Touching each other's hair was a fairly intimate gesture for dwarves.

"Brushing your hair. It's tangled and dirty, and it's not like your mother will burst through the door to wrench the brush out of my hand."

Fíli's casual tone shocked Raya into compliance. He took up the brush again, and Raya made no attempt to stop him, so he started carefully untangling the knots. Oh, how he missed this! He often brushed Flor's hair, for the repetitive actions calmed both of them after a tumultuous day. It also served as foreplay, but Raya's golden locks reminded Fíli more of his own hair than Flor's raven black tresses, and those kinds of emotions did not stir.

He waited until Raya relaxed to breach a new topic.

"Do you still want to learn Sindarin?" he asked. He helped her to step out of the shadow of her father, and find an occupation. He directed her to the library, and she ended up taking lessons in Sindarin. Fíli wholly approved, as it can give him a political leverage in the future.

"Yes. Janni sent me notes to study if I feel up to it."

"Good. Did you feel up to it?"

Raya blushed; Fíli saw as the redness crept higher and higher on her ears.

"I take it as a no," he said with an amused smile.

"I'm sorry."

"No, you're not. You were recovering from your injuries and the shock your parent's death caused." He was watching her reaction, but she didn't attack him this time. "You want to catch up on your studies, though," he finished.

"How do you know it?"

Fíli pulled the brush down three times before answering.

"Because you will have a chance to practice your new skill."

She tensed.

"What do you mean?"

"I invited an envoy from Lórien. They'll arrive soon."

He waited, but she didn't say a word.

"I think your skill should be put to use."

"But I'm not at all skilled!" she protested, slightly panicking. "Isn't it Janni's job?"

"Yes, it is his job," he answered, smiling, "but you are to follow in his steps, aren't you?"

Raya forgot about the brushing, and shook her head, retangling the knot Fíli was working on. He restarted without chiding her, as words started to pour out of her mouth quickly.

"I've never thought about it. I only started the lessons to do something, no one told me that I have to… I have to… What do I have to do with it? I've never worked before, and I don't know how to do it. What if I misunderstand something? I don't know much at all, I'm going to say stupid things and I'm going to scare them away!"

At this, Fíli snickered. He doubted the elves would be scared so easily. "I would thank you not to do that!"

"Don't laugh at me!"

He couldn't help it: even though her despair seemed genuine, he was so far removed from such small problems… It was nice to see someone worry about a missed lecture for a change.

"Well, then I hope you're taking out those notes soon!"

Actually, since Raya was just sitting, she already started revising while Fíli was brushing her hair. The soft, soothing tugging allowed her just enough focus to memorize what she read, and Fíli peeked over her shoulder a couple of times. He only interrupted her to ask what kind of braids she wanted him to do, but she let him decide.

"There, there," he said, patting her shoulder, "now you look like a proper dwarrowdam."

He pushed a mirror in her hand, and watched her curiously, waiting for her reaction. She seemed pleased with the result, even smiled.

"Thank you, Fíli!"

"Anytime." He stood from one leg to the other. "You know, I won't force you to do anything. If you don't want to learn, or if you feel uncomfortable around elves, just say it."

Raya blushed, and avoided his eyes answering: "I will."

"You promise?" he asked suspiciously.

Raya blushed harder. "I promise!" she said, not at all convincing the young king.

Fíli planned to rejoin Balin in the marble cave, where they set up the baths, but seeing him in a hushed discussion with Thorin discouraged him. Fortunately, his mother practically lived here these days, so he went to find her before either dwarf noticed him.

Dís, of course was here to inspect and direct the works, and she greeted him cheerfully. She showed him around: it seemed she was right about Liv's talents. The dwarrowdam came from the Iron Hills too some weeks ago, and was quickly becoming widely recognized for her creative designs.

The baths turned out to be even more spectacular than Fíli had imagined.

Smaller and bigger pools were sprinkled in a seemingly random pattern between the twisting and twining walkways. Both the walkways and the pools were carved intricately on their sides, and Fíli was sure every mark had a meaning – directions, the heat of the water in the pool, the allowed activities, the depth… It was amazing.

"It's going to be fantastic! They say they've finished the carvings, and after some polishing, we can let the water in the pools. We need to do a few days of trial, especially with the warming system, and we need to check the taps and the drains before we can let the public in. A week at most, they say, for possible corrections. I'm thinking I'm going to make an announcement today. What do you think?" she asked Fíli.

"What announcement?" Balin butted in, as he and Thorin approached them.

"It's a surprise," said mother and son together.

"Be there at dinner tonight," Dís asked Fíli.

"Why wouldn't you be there?" Balin turned to the younger dwarf. Fíli closed his eyes. Balin's mind was going through all of his memories about events of the Spring Tour. "Why _aren't_ you there? Are you scared of the dwarrowdams? Or perhaps you don't want your mother meddle in your love life, do you? Ah, I see," he said with an understanding smile.

"Watch your mouth, I don't meddle!" Dís said, driving her point home with a poke in his side.

"Of course not, I'm sorry!" Balin apologized, exchanging a glance with Thorin.

"Will we finally learn about your secret plan?" Thorin asked, not sparing even a glance for Fíli.

"There you are!" Dwalin slapped a hand on Thorin's shoulder. "Sorry for the wait, let's go!" he said, dragging Thorin away from their group. Fíli watched them with a dumbfounded expression. He hadn't spoken to Dwalin either since the trial; he wouldn't hide his disapproval, but perhaps, he thought it was obvious.

"Don't worry, she will leave you alone," whispered Balin, leaning closer. "You should come more often, make new acquaintances… you don't even have to find a wife right now, but a little practice will benefit you later!"

Fíli didn't need any practice, but if Balin hadn't caught on yet, he wasn't going to enlighten him about Flor.

"Stop harassing my son! He is where he has to be," Dís stated, and turned her back on Balin, hooking her arm in Fíli's and dragging him to the opposite direction as Thorin went. Fortunately, Balin took the hint and let them walk around alone.

"Thank you!" Fíli sighed. "You're very effective. Can't you get him off of my back, like you did with Thorin?"

Dís rewarded his question with a glare. "Do you think it's easy?"

"Hey Dís!" they heard a feminine voice calling out.

They both turned. It was Dís' cartographer, with her functional leather clothes and half-braided hair.

"And King," she added, seeing Fíli.

Fíli felt his interest spark up. She helped him out with plans for the river, but he only met her once face to face: when they went on the rescue mission together. He found her company pleasant – truth be told, they talked little and focused on the task, but he rarely felt so comfortable around anyone lately.

"Call me Fíli," he offered, half hoping that she would offer her name in turn. He forgot to ask it, but now, it would be ridiculous outright admitting his negligence.

She did no such thing though.

"Fine. I have a favor to ask," she said, looking at Dís.

"Oh, yes. Go on, ask him. You don't really need me for that, I'll be over there. Fíli, be nice!"

 _Be nice!_ Fíli felt himself blush. He wasn't a dwarfling anymore!

"I'm always nice!" he answered, but Amad pretended not to hear, as she left.

"Good for you," answered the cartographer stoically, looking around for eavesdroppers. Satisfied with their privacy, she continued: "I want free entrance to the baths, and Dís said I should ask you."

Fíli furrowed his brows, looking around. According to their plans, inhabitants of Erebor can use the small, functional bathrooms near the entrance for free – to encourage dwarves to come and clean up once in a while. For the entertainment sector, they were going to sell different types of tickets, so the baths would create some income.

Fíli wondered what he was supposed to say – Amad spent a lot of time with her, and kept her in high regard. On the other hand, only the Company was granted free access so far, and they worked hard for it by retaking the mountain.

She got bored with his hesitation.

"I found the cave. I gave you the tip. You made it happen, that's correct, but you wouldn't have known where to look without me."

Fíli raised an eyebrow. He liked her attitude, and it was true: without her, he would be just a lost little boy wearing a shiny jewel on his head right now. He gained a lot of respect by using her information.

"So, essentially, you made us build your dream-bathroom?"

"Exactly," she replied with an uncertain, lopsided smile.

"Fine. Free access anytime, for any service. Deal?"

"Deal." She looked pleased, but surprised. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. And I want to thank you too," Fíli said.

"For what?"

"For the maps and the help with Raya," he said.

"Yeah, cool."

She wasn't very talkative, and looked around as if being in a hurry.

"I'll get a 'free access' card to you too when they are ready then," he finished awkwardly.

"Fine," she nodded, and graced him with an actual happy smile. She turned and walked away, her long strides taking her quickly out of sight. She waved goodbye to Dís, who came back to check if everything went alright.

"I'm glad you're getting on well," she commented, with an inquiring smile. Fíli glared at her in answer, not liking her implication. Dís pouted. "Fine; just be there at dinner. And avoid the training area!" she added. "Dwalin took Thorin there to distract him from the elves. They are putting on a show for the ladies; he's just asked Liv to gather a few of them there."

"Really?" It surprised Fíli. Thorin didn't like showing off his skills without a purpose.

"Really! Dwalin made some very convincing point, and made it look like it was Thorin's idea. Thank Mahal for him, because there is only so much I can endure from my brother!" she sighed theatrically.

"You volunteered, Amad," Fíli reminded her.

"That's true, yet… Thorin changed so much! I don't know what to do with him anymore. I thought that if I delegate Kíli's usual tasks to him, he will argue a little, brood some, and then majestically complain about how Kíli is doing everything wrong. He should be gone all day long to correct everything, and everything would be so simple!"

Fíli snorted: that sounded like the Thorin of old.

"But now, with his new 'hobbity' views, he accepted the tasks with a smile, took care of everything the way Kíli does, and came back to me, proudly announcing that everything is fine. I had to make up excuses why I need him, and honestly, he creeps me out!"

Fíli tried to hide his amusement behind a fake cough, but Dís slapped his arm.

"Stop laughing! He's creepy. He does everything I ask of him, the way I want to. He keeps coming back with questions about inconsequential details! Dear Mahal, he's a grown dwarf with considerable experience in making decisions, and he keeps asking me if I want sweet or salty scones for breakfast next morning! As if I care!"

Fíli made an effort to keep his lips from twitching.

"Amad, are you truly complaining because Thorin is thoughtful?"

"Yes!" she scowled. "Dear Mahal, I'm terrible. I've always wanted him to be like that, and now, I'm angry because of it."

"Maybe you need time to get used to it," Fíli said on his most reassuring voice. "It took him a long time to take the hint, after all!"

"Thank Mahal for Dwalin!" she sighed, massaging her forehead. "At least he never changes! He keeps him occupied when I've had enough."

Fíli's face darkened. "He's helping you? I thought he's angry at me, too."

"For what?"

"For the elves."

Dís shook her head. "Why don't you talk to him? I'm not your messenger, and maybe he'll surprise you."


	5. Making Friends

**A/N:** And here I am with the new chapter, so soon! I'm getting back on track. I hope you'll like it!

* * *

 **Making Friends**

"This pheasant is really quite good."

Kasia looked at the dwarf. He was sitting next to her, even though she had no idea when he sat down. He dressed in a fancy way, and his braids were richly decorated with beads. She found him handsome enough and he radiated an air of new money, but something made her wary. Perhaps his quiet arrival; most rich dwarf liked to announce themselves loudly anywhere they went. She knew what to look for, after all.

"Yes, yes it is," she answered politely, but turned back to the conversation between Zaz and her current beau. Although not very rich, he was a popular fellow, and he introduced Kasia to a whole new lot of friends. They might be poor, but still richer than Kasia, and at least she didn't need a whole lot of new fancy knowledge to talk to them. She didn't want to spend any time pining after Kíli, but his betrayal and her short-sightedness ruined her confidence greatly.

"I didn't quite catch your name earlier," the dwarf continued. "I'm Varni."

"I'm Kasia," she smiled at him. "Nice to meet you."

"A pleasure to have you here," Varni said. "I've only arrived recently myself. How do you like Erebor so far?"

He was boring. Kasia preferred those who asked about more personal things, like which gems she liked best, or if she was interested in outdoor activities. _Like Kíli did, the bastard._ Kasia politely answered all the usual questions, repressing the urge to roll her eyes.

She noticed King Fíli's quiet arrival on the other side of the room: he hasn't been here in a while. Kasia didn't pay any attention to him before, but now, she watched him with a renewed interest: aside from saving Raya and visiting her in the infirmary, Kasia had caught a glimpse of kindness in him. _Why is he hiding it?_

The dwarf next to her eyed her constantly while she ate. It distracted her from the conversation at the table – she didn't like it. She decided to attack.

"Do you like the way I eat?"

She knew there were males who enjoyed watching their 'dams eat, as eating can be very sensual, but Varni looked surprised. She didn't understand him: she was simply eating, but two can play that game. She stabbed her fork into a small piece of the meat – _pheasant,_ it seemed to be the name of the 'bigger bird'; darn all this luxury! –, and put it delicately into her mouth. She made a humming sound while chewing it, and made a show of turning it around in her mouth, suggestively rounding and sucking in her cheeks. After swallowing it visibly, she softly bit down on her lower lip. She moaned softly with pleasure, but then gave him a hard glare.

"Is this what you're looking for?"

Varni made a low grumbling sound, which turned into a too-wide smile. Kasia raised her eyebrows, unimpressed.

"You made quite a show, my lady," he said, "but you missed the point. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

Varni turned back to his meal, and left her alone for the rest of the time. Perhaps he found her too straightforward. Still, she decided to keep an eye on him: he had an underlying air of creepiness, and if anyone here, Kasia knew how to notice these things.

At least, she had known, before coming here.

* * *

Fíli arrived perfectly on time for dinner. He promised himself to make an effort and stay a little longer tonight – usually, he got back to his quarters right after finishing his meal, and he skipped every dinner completely since rescuing Raya. He hoped she would be here: at least he would know someone.

Fortunately, Amad had seen fit to let them choose the seating arrangement lately, so he sat with the Company. They welcomed him with genuine cheer, and introduced him to their…partners.

Looking around, Fíli saw several dwarrowdams sitting with them. He had already met Ori's sweetheart, and he'd heard about Thorin's 'Lady Friend', but there were six other 'dams around their table, which left only Nori without a partner apart from him.

He felt pathetic.

 _He wanted Flor._

"Fíli, lad, good to see you here!" Bofur greeted him, and continued with the inevitable "All hail the King!"

Everyone at their table raised their cup. He did what he usually did as a response: raised his cup and smiled.

"Cheers!"

They made a place for him between Ori and Bofur, Thorin smiling at him from across the table.

"So tell me, where have you been lately? Apart from saving helpless dwarrowdams," Bofur winked at his partner. The dwarrowdam didn't seem impressed by the adjective 'helpless'.

"Here and there," he answered. He was in a very awkward position: they were bound to comment on his previous absence, but he couldn't cite work, as some of them were working closely with him. He hoped to push them off track with asking about them:

"And how do _you_ like this courting business?"

Bofur let out a roaring laugh.

"Business?" he repeated, throwing his arm over his lady's shoulders. "Hear that, sweetheart? He calls it a business!"

"Perhaps he has more sense than you," she said, pushing off his arm. "Dear Mahal, Bofur, can't you eat with your mouth shut just once in a while?"

Fíli hid his sniggering behind his palm.

"Sorry, sorry," Bofur said, deflated. He hurried to placate the dwarrowdam, before she decides to leave – they hadn't completely forgiven him his blunder in Dale.

"He never learns," commented Thorin with a knowing smirk, "but I haven't seen you in here either."

"I've been busy," Fíli shrugged. According to Amad, Thorin didn't forgive him for the elves, so why did he act so nice now? At least he didn't know about their message yet, but Fíli had the good sense to keep this information to himself for now. He wouldn't sabotage his dinner unnecessarily.

"With what?" Thorin asked genuinely. Fíli shrugged again. He busied himself with anything, to distract himself from missing Flor (but Thorin didn't know about her either).

And how he missed her! Especially after the trial.

He'd always shared his troubles with Flor. She had a deep understanding of people, and she could shed light on any situation that Fíli couldn't untangle by himself. He missed their talks, and he missed the way they always made love after such occasions.

"What about you?" he asked instead of finding excuses.

Thorin smirked. "I'm having a good time."

"I can see that," Fíli said, glancing at the dwarrowdam sitting next to him, resting her hand on Thorin's arm.

"Oh, Erna is a great friend." He made a gesture for Erna to join their conversation. "She's very impressed by you. I was hoping to introduce you for a while."

"Really?"

They've met briefly, but Fíli couldn't care less about the impression he made. He was surprised someone actually sort of _liked_ him, even if it was Thorin's _friend._ Did he really call her a _'friend'?_ Fíli heard they spent a lot more time together than average friends.

"Really," she answered with conviction. "You are very talented, and confident too, which is a necessary characteristic of a good leader."

"That's true," Thorin commented, before Fíli could thank her for the compliment.

"The way you handled this awful trial is exemplary!" Erna leaned forward, turning her body away from Thorin, and Fíli felt himself blush, which made Erna chuckle.

"I'm glad you think so."

"May I ask how you came to this decision?"

The question surprised Fíli again. No one asked him how he came to the decision, only if he'd made it yet.

"It may sound superficial, but for me, it was fairly obvious," Fíli started to explain. He glanced at Thorin, who listened curiously. "They offended someone I'm responsible for, so I used the available tools to retaliate. I only applied the same laws as before."

Thorin nodded. "But what was the sudden change… about his tongue?" He whispered the last words, not wanting to involve others in their conversation.

"He asked for it," Fíli shrugged. He would have liked to talk to him about it beforehand, or perhaps that night, but after that tantrum… definitely not. He didn't want his approval, nor his advice.

He was looking at his cup with sorrowful eyes: it was empty, and all he could get here tonight is some… soft ale or sugary wine. Nevertheless, Erna noticed his troubled stare, and refilled it.

"You shouldn't worry about what happened. You made the right decisions. People will eventually come out of their shock and realize that you acted in their protection, and they will be singing your praise in no time."

"I'm not sure I want them to do that," Fíli said, fiddling with his cup.

"You're too modest. If you say things like this in public, they will eat you alive," Erna chided him, and Fíli allowed himself a relieved smile.

"The public likes him," stated Thorin. "He has nothing to fear."

"Yes, but he has to realize that…" She wavered under Thorin's unforgiving glare.

"He's a good king. Better than I was."

Thorin echoing Amad's words knocked the breath out of Fíli. He had never heard Thorin praise him face to face; perhaps he really should spend more time here.

"Would you mind telling that to Balin too?" Fíli asked, feeling impertinent. "He's harassing me with his… his…" Fíli tried not to sound disrespectful, but how could he tell Thorin that Balin should just shut up?

Thorin smirked knowingly again. Erna studied his face, her soft gaze often straying to his lips.

"Do you have a problem with him?"

"No, I just… he wants to talk about these things. And I… I don't." he shrugged, but immediately realized that it made his childish comment even more childish. Thorin rewarded him with a serious look. Erna spared him an amused glance too.

"Often, it helps if you can talk about your decisions with someone," Thorin said finally with a stern glare, "be it past or present or future decisions."

"I know," Fíli answered.

He remembered Flor, again. He remembered the drinking game he and Bard invented the other night too; he decided to drink every time Flor comes up in his mind tonight.

"I know he means well," Fíli continued, "but everyone means well and no one asks me if it's really good." He glared at Thorin: he liked to take care of small matters without telling the king. Fíli hoped he would get the message.

"Talking to Balin or Dwalin, Óin, or Glóin helped me a lot during the years. Even talking to you – do you remember when I started to give you all those boring lessons about duty and honor and asking strange questions about what's right?"

Fíli's lips curled into a smile. He remembered – he hated them at first, because he found them tedious. Later, the questions bored him, but found the stories about faraway settlements enthralling.

"These lessons weren't only about teaching you, they were for my own benefit as well."

Fíli nodded. "Yes, I've realized that somewhere during the last year or so."

Thorin forced his mouth into a tight smile.

"Aren't you angry at him for putting you in this position?" Erna butted in, tearing her eyes away from Thorin. "I mean, being King under the Mountain must be an honor and a very fortuitous position, but also includes great responsibility."

Thorin lowered his eyes. Fíli smirked; he wasn't blaming Uncle for _that_.

"No." he said without hesitation. "I've always known that the time will come when I have to take up the crown. I'm actually glad that it didn't have to coincide with his funeral."

Thorin looked up, relieved.

"Do you often consult him about kingly business?" she inquired further.

"No," said Fíli truthfully, focusing on Erna. "I mean, I talk to him since he is a member of the council, and I value his opinions. Just like he said, talking to others always helps. But… extensive talking is his method, not mine."

"Oh?" Erna looked interested, and Thorin was paying attention too, but his face was unreadable.

"I like to keep things simple."

"Sometimes they aren't simple," Thorin argued, his face darkening. Perhaps he didn't forget the elves, only tried to represent a united front in public.

"Often they are," Fíli shrugged.

"I like his position," Erna declared. Thorin looked miffed, and also missed the hopeless glance Erna threw at him. Fíli felt sorry for her: it seemed Thorin's attempt at a hobbit-style life greatly increased his social skills, but he was still ignoring obvious clues from women.

Fíli liked Erna (she was sensible, even Amad would approve), so he decided to help her.

"I'm feeling flustered," he said, smiling at Erna with fake uncertainty. "I've been both questioned and praised by you, and I failed to do the same."

"Well, feel free to start with the praising!" she laughed.

Fíli quickly ran his eyes over her appearance. She was clearly much older than him, but looking well. Her hair was a lovely shade of reddish brown, and while she avoided extreme ornamentations, her dress was fashionable, and her whole attire implied refined taste. Their eyes met, and her mild confusion told him that she noticed the appreciation in his eyes.

"I don't even know how where to start!"

He stole a furtive glance at Thorin: he wasn't catching on.

"That's too sad," she pouted playfully. Clearly, _she_ managed to catch on. "A young thing like you clearly has a lot to learn about how to talk to a lady!"

This, Thorin found funny.

Fíli almost rolled his eyes.

"I would love to learn," he declared. "I would love to know how to tell them about their beauty without offending them."

Here, he spared a side-glance at Bofur, who was getting chided for reaching over the dwarrowdam's plate for like the twentieth time:

"Can't you just pay attention and not knock my utensils out of my hands? Or, I don't know, _wait_?!" she said.

He returned his attention to Erna, who actually looked interested, so he continued.

"I would like to meet a beautiful lady and compliment her, comparing her to my dearest treasure, as I'm supposed to, but how would it sound to compare her to a mountain?"

Erna responded with genuine laughter.

"A mountain? My King, you have a strange way to pay compliments."

"See, that's why I need to learn," he said, lowering his voice, so she had to lean closer over the table. "You see, my greatest treasure is the Mountain that gives a home to my people. It's easy for those lowly gemcutters, referring to rubies and emeralds, and those miners, talking about gold and mithril, but what should I say? I have everything but a 'dam's caring heart at my disposal. What would _you_ like to hear?"

She didn't answer. She didn't even blink.

She was speechless, which meant Fíli still had his golden-tongue. Fíli knew that anyone with eyes could see that something happened between them, but he let her break the spell. She lowered her gaze to her plate, and her face took on a deep crimson shade.

Despite their display, no one made a comment. Thorin didn't even react, and Fíli wanted to pull on his braids in frustration.

Fortunately, Amad chose this moment to announce the pool party she planned for them, which diverted Erna's attention, but shortly after the meal, when he attempted to slip away, she cornered him.

"I was wrong," she stated in a hurried whisper. "You don't need to learn."

Fíli smirked. He couldn't help, but add:

"Are you sure? I've passed the first test and now I'm an expert? What if I was simply lucky? You will need to check again."

He winked, and left her speechless and blushing for the second time that evening.


	6. Arrival

**A/N:** Hi again! The elves are coming, and Fíli seems to be a little unprepared. Might be a little long, but I hope you'll like it - feel free drop a few words in the box below!

* * *

 **Arrival**

"Amad, I need your help!"

"Dear Mahal, Fíli, can't it wait?" Dís answered sleepily. Although she wouldn't deny help from either of her sons, it was a little too early to wake up to these words. What are the chances that he brings good news at this ungodly hour?

"Not really. Sorry for barging in. I'll leave you to get ready."

Of course he would be nice about it, but what exactly?

"Ready for what?"

"Just to talk to me," he said. He presented her with a sheepish smile, so it couldn't really be bad, but usually, he took care of his business on his own very well. "I'll be in my room."

Dís stretched and found a robe. Her room was dark and cold, and she spent half the night with reassuring agitated young dwarrowdams. They were so concerned about this pool party! They needed new bathing garments, they worried about showing their bodies to the dwarves and how to hide their less attractive parts, and they asked if they needed to find a partner for the party. They were exhausting – Dís had half a mind to tell them about the pool parties of her youth: splashing around completely naked in cold streams and lakes, with her naked cousins and their friends – but pleasantly so, looking back. She liked to get a taste of these trivial worries. Maybe she will get a new garment for the occasion.

She entered Fíli's rooms. He was sitting in the first one – his study – at his desk.

"I'm getting a new bathing suit for the pool party," she announced. "I have to look at sketches, I'm not sure what the fashion is these days, but my old one is probably too revealing."

"Why? You must still look pretty in it," he complimented her, just like she expected.

Dís laughed. "Oh dear, I've never had one!"

Seeing the bewildered look on his face was priceless. He lowered his gaze in embarrassment, and cleared his throat.

"I need your help," he spoke. "The elves arrived at Dale yesterday. I'm going to invite them to the Mountain."

Her face darkened. "When?"

"Today would be the best."

Dís stifled her growl. She had to occupy herself with something to stay calm, so she started to boil some water and prepare tea. She fully trusted her son, but she couldn't simply forget her less than stellar experiences with that race.

"The sooner we get it over with, the better," Fíli stated.

"That's true," she sighed.

"You know, I can still call it off."

She hated the uncertainty tainting his voice. He should be proud of his achievement – putting aside his own grudges, and striving for progress. He should be supported, not obstructed.

She turned back to him with a hard look.

"You will certainly not do that! I'm making tea, and we will discuss whatever you want."

She did that. She had her cup and her teaspoon to fiddle with, to channel her negative feelings.

"So you want to invite them today. Does this mean they are coming today, or it depends on them?"

"It certainly doesn't depend on them!" Fíli smirked. "They are coming when I say so."

Dís nodded with approval.

Fíli continued hesitantly.

"I haven't told anyone yet, and only the council knows that they are coming at all."

"That's stupid, you know. Dwarves won't take kindly to them."

"Exactly, but after the trial, I didn't want to cause more upset."

Dís studied him. He claimed the trial didn't affect him at all, and it might be true emotionally, but he was certainly feeling the weight of the issue. He always took his responsibilities very seriously. Fortunately, whatever he felt gave him more confidence, unlike this elf-mess. She was thinking how to resolve this matter to everyone's liking.

"You need to tell the council first. And you can't hide a bunch of willowy pixies from the people."

"Tell me something I don't know," he commented with a wry smile. "Bard said he'll escort them up with a few of his guards. I'll receive them at the gates and invite them in formally." That was their usual protocol for official envoys. "I can only hope Thorin or anyone else can keep their mouth shut for that long."

"Why should he be there?" she asked frowning. "Why don't you ditch them?"

"Protocol, Amad."

Dís rolled her eyes. Thorin and Balin clearly did a good job drilling the rigid trivialities into Fíli.

"Yes, but look at it from my point of view. You want to offer them hospitality. Rude comments immediately ruin that image. You should only take those who can keep their mouth shut, perhaps even greet them with a smile."

"Thanks for coming with me then," he grinned, but seeing her glare, he considered her suggestion. "So you're saying that I shouldn't take the whole council with me. Won't the elves get offended?"

"Won't they get offended, when Thorin insults them in Khuzdul?"

"Fair point. I'm definitely not taking Thorin."

"He shouldn't be in the reception line, but he should be seen. There are open terraces over the gates. We should let dwarves watch from there, and Thorin can go up too, and placate the crowds."

"As if," Fíli snorted. Dís fixed him with a hard glare again. After this elf-business is done, she won't stand between them, ever again; they will need to get over their differences on their own.

"He would never say a word against you in public. He might be stubborn and temperamental, but he would in no way jeopardize your position. We are family, and he respects that."

"If you say so," Fíli said, shrugging. Insolent brat!

"I do!" she snapped. "The public should see that they are getting a friendly reception, and perhaps we can pull off a feast, too. By the evening, we will see if there is unrest, and at dinner, they can satisfy their curiosity. They can sit in the hall and watch us together at the head table. They will see that they are indeed friends, and everything shall go well. Especially if we provide free drinks."

Fíli was pouting.

"Stop this! You asked for my help. You can take it, or you can just throw it back to my face, and deal with your mess alone!"

"Sorry, Amad. I'm just… Maybe I really didn't think it through."

The uncertainty returned to his voice, and it strengthened her resolve to get him through the day.

"You can do it," she said softly. "Nothing will happen, and if it does, we'll deal with it, too. You're doing something good. You're building a good future, and I won't let anyone say otherwise."

She left his room to get ready for the day. She banished thoughts of elves from her mind: they were guests – a little taller than the usual ones, that's all.

She went to the kitchens first, to start preparation for dinner. Elves ate different foods, so she arranged for that as well, although disgusted at the thought of so much weed. She also sent for Sigrid: Dale's princess had more experience accommodating elven tastes, and she'd also met the elves in question by now. She took on the task of arranging rooms for the envoy, and when the menial tasks were done, she arrived to the hardest part.

How to find enough dwarves with the ability of conversing pleasantly with elves?

* * *

Kíli released a string of curse words, kicking the door for good measure. The elven guard didn't react – and even if he did, Kíli couldn't see it, as he was behind the massive wooden door.

"Fine! Go away! Ignore me just like I'm going to ignore you!" he yelled. "Bastard," he muttered to himself.

He had to put his quest to find Tauriel on hold for an indefinite amount of time, but not by choice.

That pretentious bastard had the audacity to kick him in the head, and knock him out. Kíli had no recollection what happened afterwards or how he came to be here, but now, he was rotting in the same damn prison cells where they were kept before.

Where he first met Tauriel.

These guards, though, weren't so friendly. Not that he wanted them to, since Tauriel was a unique creature, and no tree-shagger deserved to be compared to her. He didn't even know how many guards there were or if they were male or female… he only guessed if it was the same prison at all.

The walls looked the same. Instead of bars, he faced a massive wooden door now every time he woke, and it wouldn't budge. He tried to break out, he tried everything, to no avail. They didn't even open the door – they slipped his food in through a small gap once a day, and then blocked it too. He was supposed to slip the empty plate back when the next meal came – but Kíli proudly denied them even this small cooperation.

No, he collected the plates.

Not that he found a lot of joy by doing so: the fresh leaves were disgusting enough, and they gave of a pungent smell after decaying for days.

At first, he thought they were starving him with these weeds, but now, he was inclined to suspect poison.

He cursed them every time they came. They deserved no better: they wouldn't show their faces, and they wouldn't utter a word.

He was getting desperate.

* * *

Fíli was getting ready for the dinner with apprehension, murmuring words of his carefully written speech. He spent most of his morning composing it, and made several adjustments with the help of Balin, Glóin and Ori, but it had to be the perfect combination of welcoming _and_ antagonizing, to gain the sympathy of his people while not offending the elves.

So far, his mother's plan worked. The reception at the gates went without a hitch, with Dís, Balin, Glóin, Dori, Ori and a few selected guild leaders standing around him. Dwalin stood farther behind, constantly checking the line of guards for any sign of disrupt. Armed dwarves lined the entrance and the corridors to keep away trouble from the elves.

The elves brought gifts, which earned an approving grunt from Glóin – he would mock elven tastes anytime, but his wife would make him get some of the fine linens they presented.

Guards were to report any upset and the spreading rumors too. Since Fíli only announced the arrival of elves this morning, rumors ran wild: someone fell sick with a deathly illness in the royal family (Kíli's absence gave weight to these tales); these elves were scouts and they prepared the Lonely Mountain to be easily overrun by their army (fortunately, many realized that elves dwelt in woods, not underground); or most commonly, elves came to rob them blind. That last one proved difficult to contradict, so he decided to talk about the reason of their presence openly at dinner, when everyone can hear it.

The elves weren't as unpleasant as he expected. Of course, the Lórien-elves had little confrontation with the dwarves of Erebor so far, perhaps with any dwarf. He will need to do a subtle interrogation about it.

"Are you ready, Ronen?" he asked his personal guard, who looked stiffer than ever.

"Yes, Your Majesty," he said, trying to keep any emotion from his voice.

"What are your feelings about these elves?" Fíli asked. It was only fair: Ronen said he could deal with them previously, but maybe, he changed his mind seeing them up close.

"I have no feelings about them."

"Can you be a little more cryptic?" Fíli asked sarcastically. "No? I thought so. Now, I want the real answer."

"That's the real answer, Sire. Having feelings about them is not part of my job."

Ronen was _very_ stiff, always following the rules by the letter, rarely speaking and never disagreeing with the king, but he was also very loyal. Fíli tried to get an emotional answer out of him since they met, but in vain.

"Right," he sighed. "Maybe I should change your job description."

Ronen took his sarcasm without comment, and Fíli gave up. At least Ronen wouldn't be part of an outraged mob; lacking the emotional depth for it.

They went to collect Dís, and with her, Fíli went to check on their guests.

Bard opened the door.

"King Fíli! Is it time already to have dinner?"

His enthusiasm prompted a smile from Fíli. Having Bard here for the feast helped his case: it was their joint project, and dwarves generally liked Bard and the Men of Dale. Also, after a few days of negotiation and expressing their mutual goodwill, the elves will move back to Dale. Inviting them here was mere formality.

"It is. Are you all ready?" he asked, entering the room.

"Your Majesty," the leader of the elven party stood and greeted him with a bow.

"Haldír," he gave him the same courtesy. "I hope you found everything to your satisfaction."

"Of course," he said with a polite nod.

"If you are ready, I'll lead the way to the Ruby Hall."

The elves gathered. Fíli led them on a longer route, just to be safe. They seemed as confused about directions underground, as Thorin overground, which pleased his well-hidden elf-loathing feelings. Right behind them, Sigrid walked with a female elf, giggling, while Bard, his four men and Dís mingled at the back with the rest. Pairs of guards greeted them on every corner, signing to Fíli that they saw no trouble.

"Allow me to ask, because I find it strange that you let us carry a weapon inside your city. I'm a bit wary, especially after you mentioned extra security measures. Is there anything we should fear?" Haldír asked him on the way.

Fíli considered how to answer. It was reasonable to assume that their presence offended dwarves, and dwarves were known to act harshly. He can't surround them with guards all day and night, and it wouldn't help to bring the two parties closer, so yes, Fíli wanted to give them a chance to defend themselves. Scaring them away with supposed danger wouldn't do, though.

"It's no secret that dwarves and elves have always had their differences, which often resulted in conflict, but no, I don't think you are in immediate danger. In Erebor, everyone has a right to carry a weapon. I'm carrying weapons all the time," he said, flicking his wrist and showing him the tip of a dagger in his sleeve. Haldír laughed. "But that's only my folly. We live in peace, you came in peace, I see nothing to worry about. Aside from caution, it's a message to my people: you are friends, so you can keep your weapons, you will not turn them against us."

"Do you think they will see it that way? Aren't they more paranoid than you?"

Fíli smirked.

"No, they aren't," he said, and decided to brag a little: "They know that their king will stand up for them to anyone."

"They know that?" Haldír asked skeptically.

"They know," Fíli answered showing no less confidence than he felt, "without a doubt."

Fíli stopped at the entrance of the Ruby Hall to hear the report of the last guards. Dwarves of Erebor seemed to be curious, because the hall was full – they had to put in new tables last minute. They tried to keep out the more troublesome fellows, and a smaller group attempted to protest, but they had been removed.

 _So far, so good._

Fíli strode into the hall, and walked up to the dais, where he, the envoy of ten elves, Bard and his four men plus Sigrid, and the ten dwarves chosen by Amad would dine.

He stifled a smile seeing Amad's carefully written place cards. Haldír, next to him, admired her work.

"You seem to pay attention to small details," he remarked. The cards were decorated with elven patterns: trees, flowers and the names written in elven letters too.

"My mother's work," Fíli answered proudly.

"Is she responsible for our rooms too?"

"Yes."

"I will make sure to thank her for everything. I'll be honest: I counted on a colder reception here, a few insults perhaps…"

"You can get your insults, if I don't address the crowd now, I dare say," Fíli laughed, as everyone found their place around the high table.

"I want to thank everyone for joining us tonight," he started his speech. He walked away from their table, getting closer to his people. "I guess you all remember that I promised to give an explanation and I'm happily announcing some good news."

He found Thorin with his eyes. His uncle was glaring, silently cursing the elves and Fíli's laidback approach. His good mood from last night was nothing but a distant memory; he reacted violently this morning, when he learned that Fíli would indeed go through with his plan. He swore and raged, throwing things and shouting: _'I did not take this mountain back so you can give it to elves! Not as long as I live!'_

"How could elves be good news?" someone said, his voice too loud in the general silence.

"Elves of Lórien wish to pick up trade with us. As you could see this morning, they've brought samples of their products as gifts. You all will have a chance to inspect them, as they are staying for a few weeks."

Now, he heard the dwarves gasp as one, and soon, shouts of protest erupted. If he really paid attention, he would be able to make out a few very poetic insults, but he raised his hand to ask for silence.

"They are staying in Erebor only for a few days, before they return to Dale, as it is a better location to work on the project we planned."

He allowed them a few moments to process this information.

"The project I'm talking about is a joint project of Erebor and Dale. Bard and I agreed – and I think most of you would – that our lands need help to recover after the long destruction of the dragon. Right now, we are mostly surrounded by barren lands. The only exception is the small area east of Dale, where Men managed to break the ground, and under their care, the land will yield a good harvest this year. Those lands are prosperous, but neither us, nor Dale has the resources to do more by ourselves. Although we, dwarves rarely bother growing plants, we do want to eat. We are very lucky to be so close to a growing city of Men who are willing to trade with us, to work for our food, but soon, the lands won't be able to support all of us."

He let the implication sink in.

"Elves of Lórien were kind enough to offer us their centuries-old knowledge and experience to help rejuvenate the lands, to heal the wounds the dragon caused, as an offer of peace and friendship. During the next days, we are finalizing the plans, so they can start to work and we can start to work on a future, very advantageous arrangement with Dale. May our friendship prosper!"

He raised his cup, watching as the dwarves in the Hall did the same. They drank; it seemed no one felt the need to go on a killing rampage just yet.

He waited until the crowd settled, and started the blessing that usually the father or the host of the party said before dinner.

"Bless Mahal…"

He bowed his head, and continued the Khuzdul prayer in silence. Every dwarf knew the words, and said them in their minds, but Khuzdul was their secret language, and they wouldn't allow the elves to get such an insight to their culture, not even to hear the words on the Common Tongue. When he finished and raised his head again, the dwarves actually cheered and slammed their hands on the tables in joy.

Fíli smirked, and since the elves were behind him, he made a sign in Iglishmek, hiding his hand with his body:

 _May Mahal's hammer forge our luck and crush our foes!_

Many of them understood their sign language, and they translated for those who didn't. It was a short blessing, known by everyone, to wish good luck. They cheered even louder.

He sat down between Bard and Haldír at the head of the table.

"What was this silence about?" Bard asked, wrinkling his forehead. "I've never seen something like that."

"That's because you're an honorary dwarf." Fíli pushed food in front of him to derail his attention. "I hope you aren't offended by anything yet," he turned to Haldír.

"Indeed not, Your Majesty," he said, slightly nonplussed by this occurrence.

"I know elves rarely venture underground, by I hope you will find these few days agreeable," Fíli continued.

"Certainly," came the reassurance. "It is a new experience even for me, and I'm considered very tolerant among my people. You see, I've travelled considerably more than usual, being a captain of the guard for a long time. I've even met dwarrowdams before, so meeting your mother wasn't as big of a shock as for some of my companions."

Fíli remembered the bewildered look on their faces: he believed it to be a poorly hidden disdain for going underground, but seeing a dwarrowdam was a plausible explanation too. There were strange legends about their existence – or rather, inexistence –, which dwarves strongly encouraged, to protect their womenfolk.

He picked up on another topic instead.

"A captain, you say? Are there more?"

Haldír briefly explained him the structure of Lórien's forces, blurring just enough details to keep Fíli confused. He also told him in a more open manner about his own travels, which made him suitable for leading this envoy.

"Are you saying many of you don't even speak the Common Tongue?" Fíli asked, wrinkling his forehead.

"That's true. Most of us never leave our sacred woods, and we rarely have visitors."

Pondering it a little, Fíli had to admit, the same would be true about dwarves, had the dragon left them alone. He heard his elders' tales about the comfort and the luxury of the ancient city under the Lonely Mountain. Living in the midst of that richness, he wouldn't be hard-pressed to leave either; back then, most dwarves never left their home, and since no outsider was allowed inside, they spoke Khuzdul freely. However, during the long march to Ered Luin and the years spent on the road, looking for work, made it a necessity for every dwarf to learn the Common Tongue, and keeping Khuzdul alive became more and more difficult. Of course, other dwarven realms probably didn't face this problem.

"Then it was more of a challenge to comply with my request than I thought," Fíli mused.

Haldír nodded, but didn't elaborate. Maybe he wasn't privy to the business between Galadriel and Fíli, only swore to guard the cargo and the envoy – which consisted mostly experts of agriculture and herbs (and possibly elven magic, but Galadriel only vaguely hinted at that).

"Even I've never been underground, in a thriving city," Haldír commented, taking in the beauty of the hall with honest admiration in his eyes. "It's a strange experience, but based on what I've seen, I can't tell that a dragon lived here recently. It's magnificent! Is this a natural cave?"

"Yes, at least half of it," Fíli answered, and explained him how the beautiful wall spotted by rubies was discovered. Instead of extracting the gems, they carved out a place around it so everyone could freely marvel at this beautiful formation. Telling this story gave him a chance to show dwarves in a different light: elves usually regarded them as barbaric creatures, who cut, broke and blasted everything in their vicinity just for the pleasure of destroying things. He hoped Haldír would go home with good impressions.

"King Bard and Princess Sigrid tried to prepare us all. Still, their words didn't do justice to the real thing," Haldír commented.

"I can believe that," Fíli said, wondering what they'd said. He was sure Bard was careful with his words, but Sigrid… Would she stoop so low to make Erebor sound unpleasant? He hoped their personal differences didn't affect their political goals.

He found the princess with his eyes. She sat at the high table too, between a rich dwarven merchant and an elven healer, and talked animatedly, involving both her neighbors in the conversation.

Haldír looked around, too, catching a few angry glare, but shaking off his discomfort.

"Aren't they afraid that we will turn against them?" he asked. He seemed to still be concerned about their safety – it was his job, but Fíli started to get annoyed. "I really don't want to sound like a scaremonger, but dwarves are known to be rash and suspicious by nature."

Fíli pursed his lips. Unfortunately, that was true and the task to paint them as positive traits fell to him now.

"Our rash and suspicious nature stems from the fierce loyalty with which we protect what's ours. By inviting you, I'm not willing to share our deepest secrets with you, nor do I wish for you to do the same. But look around this table!"

They both looked around. Amad picked a truly great company: Fíli recognized Dwalin, Glóin and Dori from the Company, Liv from among the Spring Travelers, Teles, the old stonespeller from his council, Janni, the only dwarf under the Mountain who spoke Sindarin, two prominent merchants, and – the Cartographer. Of course. Fíli should have known: she was Amad's 'secret weapon'. She must be an elven expert too; she was having an enjoyable conversation with an elf, just like everyone else at the table (except for Dwalin, who was silently scowling).

"They are getting along well," Fíli concluded, turning back to Haldír before she caught him staring. "Despite our differences, we can find common ground."

Haldír nodded, lost in thought.

"Even though, it must be a cultural shock for you, especially for those less-travelled. I wouldn't presume to know enough about elves to pass judgment."

This caught Haldír's attention, but didn't comment on it.

"If you were here only for business, there would be no reason to let you into our city, but I want to build a real alliance, with friendship and trust between our realms. We can only reach it by learning. We have to get to know about each other's culture, we have to learn to accept our differences. It may take time, but it's possible to get along in peace."

Haldír was watching the company around their table, turning his gaze to the crowd of dwarves who were gawking at them openly. Fíli spared a glance to find Thorin, but the chair he occupied earlier was empty. Haldír turned back to Fíli.

"You have a very unusual approach, but I think our Lady approves."

Fíli suppressed his smirk. Galadriel indeed approved, according to her letters.

"After establishing all of this, would you mind taking a more active role in building friendship and sharing a little about your culture with an interested dwarf?" Fíli asked. After their talk, he seemed a good enough choice to teach Raya. "Or rather, an interested dwarrowdam."


	7. The Language Every Male Understands

**The Language Every Male Understands**

The guards reported no significant disruption caused by the elves' arrival. Fíli resolved himself to keep this delicate peace for one more day at least.

Amad suggested letting them pummel each other a bit in the training yard before the negotiations. If their vengeance and hatred was thus soothed, elves and dwarves were more likely to cooperate.

Naturally, they wouldn't show them the real training yard and the weaponry: they rearranged the Ruby Hall temporarily, since the elves already knew that place.

First, he had another task to complete.

Fíli had already visited Raya this morning and went through a list of unspeakable topics with her, while rebraiding her hair. She was a little nervous, but excited to meet Haldír, and Fíli hoped she would get on well with the elf. They will join them in the Ruby Hall, since Haldír too deserved the chance to work off the tension, but Fíli hoped Raya could keep him busy long enough to prevent him from seeing Fíli's first practice moves. He got a little rusty during the last year, and while still able to wield a sword better than most, he didn't want to look ridiculous in front of an elven warrior.

He tried to leave the pair immediately after the introduction, but his guard stopped him before exiting the infirmary.

"Your Majesty, a word if I may."

Ronen had never before initiated conversation, and Fíli welcomed this development. Maybe he wasn't blindly obedient.

"Talk."

"I don't think it's wise to leave an injured dwarrowdam alone with an elf."

Fíli nodded, pleased with his assessment. He planned to leave him behind, but didn't want to bring it up earlier than necessary.

"You are right, and that's why you're staying here."

Ronen looked at him befuddled. "I am not supposed to leave you alone, especially with the elves inside the mountain," Ronen argued.

"You and I both know that I'm more than capable of defending myself, while the same cannot be said about Raya. It's your choice!"

Fíli turned and walked away with a new spring in his steps. He so wanted to turn around and watch Ronen's face while making this decision! Fortunately, the guard made the right call and stayed, which made Fíli burst with relief. He was free – only for a little while, but oh, how much he hated to be constantly followed! Maybe the few moments of independence will give him the much needed inspiration in the ring. Maybe Ronen is more capable than he thought.

The Ruby Hall didn't resemble its appearance from last night at all. Long rows of benches lined the walls, while a large, rectangular space in the middle, surrounded by a safety net, would be the ring. A few guards were already showing off their chosen weapons and warming up for a match, while onlookers were gathering on the sides.

"Are you looking for real action?" he heard Thorin's voice from behind him.

"Just the dwarf I was looking for," he mumbled. Amad also strongly suggested that he should challenge Thorin _and_ beat him in front of the people. She thought it could settle the dispute between them. Fíli didn't agree: if it was so simple, he would have already done the deed. "Are you ready for some?"

Fíli turned to Thorin. He was dressed for a casual training, with a light chainmail, holding a sword in his right and a shield in his left hand. Fíli's temper rose seeing the stern lines on his face, so familiar from his childhood. Maybe Thorin agreed with Amad, and wanted to assert his dominance this way? There was no way Fíli would let him! He wasn't the little dwarfling in Ered Luin anymore! He was strong and capable, a warrior and a leader. Thorin was so eager to pass him the crown – he can't just take it back because they disagreed once!

No, Fíli would beat him fair and square.

He went to change and ran into Dwalin on the way.

"Fíli! Just the dwarf I was looking for!" He unknowingly echoed Fíli's earlier words, although with much more enthusiasm.

Fíli understood his predicament, when he noticed the dwarrowdam standing next to Dwalin. He felt sympathy: Liv and her know-it-all attitude annoyed him too. Fortunately, when he kept the conversation strictly professional, Liv adjusted, so he managed to avoid her worst moments. Fíli knew that something happened between them a few weeks ago. Since then, Dwalin always looked frustrated when she was near, but he rarely talked about his women and Fíli knew not to ask. He could take care of it on his own very well.

Fíli grinned and waved at the dwarrowdam, before walking away with Dwalin.

"What? You've had enough of her?"

"Stop it," Dwalin growled. "She's a nuisance. Where are the elves? I need to bash in a head or two."

"No head bashing," Fíli said strictly.

Dwalin snorted. "Do you think I'm an idiot? I'm just going to take a chunk out of a thigh or an arm, accidentally."

Fíli finally caught up with the joke, and elbowed him in the ribs.

"Oi! That's all you got these days?" Dwalin taunted him. "Dís says you want to beat Thorin today."

"False," Fíli smirked. " _He_ wants to beat _me_ , but you can thank Amad for spreading rumors."

"You can tell her yourself, I'm no messenger of yours!"

They walked into the changing area. Fíli found his second guard, who brought up his gear, and started to change into his chainmail.

Dwalin stayed, clattering with the practice weapons on display.

"What should I take?" he asked Fíli.

"Whatever you want," he said, turning to the package waiting for him on the bench.

He unfolded the bundle and took out his pair of training swords first. He swirled them in his hand, feeling out their slightly off balance and checking their blunt edge. While they were the imitation of the swords he used in real situations, he wasn't willing to spend so much energy on shaping them as he'd spent with the real blades.

Satisfied with their state, he took up the other pair. He usually kept them in his room and hated to trust anyone else with them, but Haldír might not have taken so well to seeing them so casually on his person. He checked them with utmost care and respect.

If his training swords were of good quality, these twins were exquisite. He took one of them in his hand, and traced a finger on the edge. Sharp and slim – she was beautiful. He checked the other one too – not the exact replica, not even perfectly mirroring her sister; he made them individually to fit his hands perfectly. He felt the familiar thrill before a fight crawl up on his spine.

He loved fighting. He'd always loved it. He practiced a lot to hone his natural talent, and he loved to showcase the rare skill of being equally deft with both hands at the same time.

He put the sharp blades back to their sheaths. He wouldn't fight with them today, but he promised to show them to the elves.

"He won't let you win, you know," Dwalin said.

"I know," Fíli said. Having his swords with him always gave him indestructible calmness and confidence.

"I don't think it's a good idea."

Fíli rolled his eyes. He'd heard these words way too often these days. "Care to clarify which of my ideas you find stupid?" he answered, amused. If Dwalin really wanted to make his displeasure known, he wouldn't have waited until Fíli got armed.

"Maybe _I_ should beat some sense into you if you have to ask!" he growled. "He's not the enemy, you know. Nor am I."

"I know he's not the enemy," Fíli said sourly, "but he's acting like _I'm_ the enemy, and it's just stupid."

"You're stupid," Dwalin said helpfully. Still, it was less hurtful coming from him – Dwalin would stand by him even if he was really stupid, he reminded himself. "He's just frustrated. Living in peace, comfort and merriment, like a hobbit," he snorted disapprovingly, "is fine, especially for hobbits, but I think he's missing the action."

Dwalin looked like _he_ was the one missing his friend. Thorin changed a lot, and they didn't find the old, easy rhythm of their friendship.

"He's atrociously out of shape, you know," he mumbled. Fíli looked at him askance. "He couldn't keep it up for more than an hour the other day. I had to go easy on him."

Although he wouldn't have an hour to tire Thorin out, it was certainly useful information. He grinned, the sense of freedom returning with full force. He always liked beating Thorin in a fight.

* * *

The crowd didn't notice them immediately, but soon, the noise of their chatter changed to whispered warnings, and when the two dwarves in the middle of the ring took up fighting position, they welcomed them with a loud cheer.

Fíli ignored them and focused on Thorin. He didn't want to hear whose fanclub turned out to be louder. He needed to win.

Thorin charged first, but his strike was easy to avoid. Fíli had a little trouble to find his footing on such a solid floor – he was more used to the soft ground squashing under his weight beneath his boots. He had to pay more attention not to tumble, since Thorin wouldn't wait for him to get up. He didn't want his sword at his neck and a bark of "Pay attention, boy!" in front of spectators.

Thorin didn't give up after his first try. He stroke again, from the left, and Fíli blocked it. Thorin pushed him away with his shield, and Fíli had to take a step back.

He recalled Dwalin's comment about Thorin's poor shape, so he stayed in one place, baiting Thorin to charge again. He did; Fíli easily stepped aside, pushing his shield away with his left forearm and poking him in the ribs with his other sword. Thorin yelped.

"You think it's a game?" he growled angrily.

"Come on, it's just a scratch!" Fíli goaded.

"Charge!" Thorin ordered. "Don't be a coward!"

Fíli laughed. He wouldn't obey, but took up a defensive position, slowly circling him. Thorin, feeling threatened, recovered quickly, and initiated a new attack. Fíli caught his strike with his right sword, swirling away to get to him from a different direction. Thorin growled, and tried to get closer, only Fíli made a step backwards, and another, than another. Thorin was too far from him to actually hit him, but it meant Fíli was even farther from getting in a score.

He needed to attack.

He waited until Thorin raised his sword for a heavy blow. He blocked the first one, but as Thorin prepared for a second, he made a step forward, and jabbed him in the shoulder. He answered with finishing the blow, but as Fíli was now too close, he only hit his shoulder with his wrist, instead of the blade. Fíli heard him grunt in pain, and hooked his left arm around his right, trying to push him down to the ground, but Thorin struggled back. He got in a blow to Fíli's face with his shield, and Fíli would have cursed the thing loudly, weren't his jaw in such pain. He pushed Thorin away to recuperate.

Thorin snarled at him from the other side of the ring. He charged again, and this time, they continued with simple, classic elements: duck, parry, swirl. Thorin was trying to get in a hit between the twin blades, while trying to keep him far enough. Thorin's sword and arm were both longer than Fíli's, but Fíli didn't mind: while he barely broke a sweat so far, he heard Thorin's breathing getting louder every minute.

"Still a coward?" Thorin growled, just like in his childhood, trying to provoke an answer, but the insult cut deeper now. "Still not brave enough to stand up to me?"

"I'm standing quite comfortably, thank you."

"You're just going where I'm leading you," Thorin said.

This caused a falter in Fíli's step, which almost resulted in a blow to his face again. He hoped the crowd couldn't hear these words – his failure, his insignificance.

He might be wearing the crown, but Thorin sat in his council, and most people still found _Thorin_ with their problems and petitions. So far, he enjoyed the luxury of Thorin's support, but one day he will disagree, and he would take the crown away without much of an effort.

Fíli wouldn't, couldn't let it happen. He'd always worked hard to prove himself to his uncle. At the same time, he always tried to find his own way, especially since Uncle wasn't always there to guide him. No, he deserved what he got.

Thorin's words caused a temporary falter, but Fíli found his resolve in the next moment. His muscle memory kept him moving, so his body managed to avoid getting hit. He recovered, and caught Thorin's sword by crossing his blades, and pushed his arms over their heads. He had to take a step closer, both for preventing Thorin to put enough force behind his shield to push him away, but also because he was considerably shorter than Thorin. It used to bother him, but right now, despite looking up at him, he felt more in charge.

"I'm exactly where I want to be."

Thorin was scowling, his face displaying barely controlled rage.

"You think you're so clever, boy?" he spat. They both knew he was speaking about the elves.

Fíli smirked, cocking his eyebrow.

"I know enough."

He shoved Thorin to the ground with an unexpected movement of his body. He managed to stay upright, immediately taking up a defensive position, while Thorin let out a yelp as his back met the floor. He was scrambling to get up, still clutching both his sword and his shield. When he looked up, Fíli saw his surprise at being the one on the floor, but meeting his eyes, Thorin's face distorted in anger.

He pulled himself up to his feet, and Fíli prepared for another forceful charge, but Thorin stayed in one place, waiting for him. He felt a surge of panic: he needed to make the next move, and Thorin was dead serious about this duel.

He swirled his right sword first, then his left, feeling their balance. He considered simply running at him and react, but Thorin had a good, calculated defense. He needed to draw him out again: his anger made him impatient and his impatience caused mistakes, which gave Fíli a key to victory.

He tilted his head, sizing Thorin up. Slowly, he approached. Thorin tensed, awaiting a blow, but Fíli got closer, and still did nothing else. Thorin tried to slam his shield into him, but Fíli sidestepped, and delivered a blow to Thorin's side, exactly where he hit him first. Thorin yelped, slashing down with his sword, but Fíli blocked it, and knocked him to the ground again with a powerful blow of his shoulder to Thorin's chest. The force of the impact made him cough, and the sword fell from his hand to instinctually clutch his ribs.

Fíli lowered his left sword, holding up his right.

"Are you going to get up, or something?" he asked, masking his whirling emotions with the usual teasing tone of an ordinary training.

Thorin looked at him. This time, his surprise turned into confusion rather than anger.

"Why would I? I'm quite comfortable here," he mumbled the correct answer.

Fíli waited for him to stand despite his declaration, but Thorin was still massaging his chest, and breathed heavily. He struggled to get the shield off of his arm, dropping it to the floor.

Fíli looked bewildered as Thorin stretched an arm in his direction. "Will you help me up or not?" he asked with a friendly impatience.

Fíli wasn't so careless with his weapons: he tucked one of them into the sheaths on his back, but kept the other, in case Thorin tried to trick him. He took his hand and pulled him upright. Thorin raised Fíli's hand into the air, announcing him as the winner, patted him awkwardly on the shoulder, and left without another word.

* * *

"He's very good. Creative. I like him. I bet he's going to win!"

Nori sidled up to the family. He rested his elbows on the railing, eyeing the dwarf from the corner of his eye. The dwarf was watching the match between Fíli and Thorin, his childish excitement barely tempered by the lack of interest from his wife and daughters next to him. The mother was interrogating the daughters about their stay so far, the elder enthusiastically depicting every detail, the younger only smiling demurely.

"He's cheeky. I bet he's very popular with the ladies," the dwarf glanced at the dwarrowdams, trying to draw them into conversation. "Which of you is going to marry him?"

"We barely see him, Father," his eldest, Malin answered.

"Come on, don't you have a tip for me? Is he going to win this match? He's good, but Thorin Oakenshield is legendary! Can't you give me a hint what bet I should make?"

"Preferably, none," the mother said firmly, but Nori could hear her love behind the chiding words. The dwarf shrugged and continued watching the match. The younger daughter caught Nori's eye for a moment, a radiant smile gracing her pretty features.

"I would happily make a bet with you," he addressed the dwarf, "but we are of the same opinion. Fíli will certainly win."

"Oh, hear that, girls?" the father beamed at his family, and turned back to Nori. "So you agree? I'm only a visitor, but it seems my eyes are still good! Breen, at your service."

Nori nodded. "Nori, at yours."

"Now tell me what you know about them!" he demanded. He was obviously talking about their fighting skills, but Malin interrupted with a giggle.

"He knows a lot, he's one of the Company!" she said.

"Is that true?" Breen asked. Nori's lopsided smile was answer enough. "Now I'm even more curious!"

For a moment, Nori feared that he would get caught in one of those endless interviews about the quest, but to his surprise, the dwarf didn't care about their adventures.

"I've heard they both got injured in the battle last year. Tell me, was it severe? Does it hinder either one of them now?"

That was actually a sensible question, and one Nori hadn't faced before.

"Their injuries were indeed severe," Nori answered, checking his braids with nimble fingers, while going through his memories. "Thorin had deep cuts, and one of his feet got stabbed through. He couldn't stand on it for months, but he can walk just fine now. Fíli had it worse: he fell from a cliff, and broke several bones. Now that you bring it up, his left hand broke at several places, and he couldn't move it properly for a while."

"Really? And he's still wielding two swords?"

"He's very skilled," Nori grumbled. He'd been held at Fíli's sword's point before, and it wasn't exactly fun.

"Yes, he is." Breen sighed, probably wishing that one of his daughters managed to catch him. "He must train a lot. I can see a hint of Thorin's limp, but Fíli adjusted very well."

"No, he got healed by elves," Nori commented drily, trying to drag Fíli off the pedestal. Breen will have to face the reality one day, where Fíli will never going to be his son-in-law, but Nori probably will.

He failed.

"Oh, so that's why he's so friendly with them!" Breen exclaimed happily. "I wondered… I admit, I was worried about the elves' presence here. You see, we've just settled in, and next, everyone is hurrying to the gates to see the foreigners! My daughters aren't at all interested in politics, they didn't even know about the envoy… Gratitude is a powerful emotion, I can see why he's so friendly with them. I was worried he's… you know… something's wrong in his head. We hear strange legends about… you know… the dragon sickness."

Nori really didn't want to make it easy for him. Alin promised that her parents were very nice, but she should've warned him about her father's openness. Questioning him about Thorin's madness? What sort of fellow would do that?

The answer, of course was that 'an honest one', who had nothing to fear. Breen had a good reputation, a perfect family, a flourishing business and nothing to fear; while Nori had to creep in the shadows to get whatever he wanted.

Yes, Nori was jealous.

"Of course, I really don't want to imply anything, but that's why Thorin Oakenshield isn't the king now, am I right?" Breen continued.

"Actually, he decided to lead a stress-free life, enjoying good food, music, friendship and merriment, just like hobbits do," Nori explained.

Breen let out a roaring laugh. "He doesn't look very stress-free now!" he commented, as Thorin got knocked to the ground a second time. "Oh, why I did not make that bet!"

"Because I said so," his wife provided the answer.

"Yes, yes," Breen mumbled disappointedly, but he quickly recovered to enjoy Fíli's victory.

Nori had an idea how to cheer him up and leave a favorable impression of himself at the same time.

"Let me introduce you to him," he offered coolly.

* * *

Fíli walked out from behind the safety net in a daze, still barely comprehending that he'd really, truly beaten Thorin in front of everyone.

Dwarves congratulated him, and he thanked them with a wide grin. He loved winning.

He noticed tall figures nearby. Maybe he should see if Haldír has arrived; maybe he should challenge him before the exhilaration of his victory wore off.

On his way, two dwarrowdam stopped him.

"You are a fantastic warrior, Your Majesty!" one of them said. They belonged to the Spring Travelers. He hadn't cared enough to memorize their names, but now, he enjoyed the attention.

"Thank you, sweetheart," he answered with a dazzling smile. She was pretty enough, and very much interested, based on her provocative look and the fact that she was already feeling up his arm. Flor used to like his muscles too, and he liked her tender care after a good fight.

"You make it look so easy! But I'm sure you work very hard to protect us all!"

"Yes, yes, I certainly do," Fíli answered. "But you can't forget that Thorin is a very good fighter too. I was lucky to win today!"

"That was more than luck, Your Majesty," spoke up the other 'dam, competing for his attention. He looked her over too: he noticed a faint resemblance between the two dams. This one was even prettier, but since the first one took a more forward approach, Fíli turned back to her.

The second one wouldn't allow it, though. She hooked her arm around his. "You should sit down, Your Majesty, to rest. Maybe you can tell me about how you acquired such skills!" she offered. Seeing that her friend was still attached to Fíli, she snapped at her: "Leave him alone, Seenia, he's clearly tired."

"He doesn't look tired," Seenia answered. "But maybe thirsty? Why don't we take a stroll to get refreshments?"

Fíli didn't want to decide. He liked the attention. He liked the success. They were both so willing… he was tempted to go with either of them – perhaps with Seenia, not only because he'd just learned her name, but because walking around gave a better opportunity to disappear for a few minutes than sitting down and talking.

Of course, it would be wrong, too… but he'd just beaten Thorin, so who cares?

He hesitated for mere moments, but a glowering Ronen came over and took care of the situation with surprising confidence.

"Ladies, leave the king to his own business. He's here to entertain official guests, not you."

Seenia shot him a frustrated glare, but didn't move. The other lass blushed, which directed Fíli's attention back to Seenia. He had no use for a blushing maid right now.

"Lena, please," Ronen asked firmly, talking to the blushing 'dam.

She threw her hands in the air. "Fine! Come, Seenia," she said, dragging her friend away.

"You should come, Your Majesty," Ronen said. Fíli stared longingly after the disappearing dwarrowdams.

"You know, I could have a few very enjoyable minutes with one of them!" he huffed.

"With all due respect, Sire, you're being rude," Ronen countered. "The elf is here with Raya."

Fíli eventually relented, and by the time he got to the elves, he started to sober up. When he met Raya's disappointed eyes, he knew she witnessed the exchange.

"Let me guess, you didn't approve either," Fíli said sarcastically.

Raya blushed.

"I don't presume to tell you anything, Your Majesty!" she answered shyly.

"Aren't we on a first-name basis?" Raya's face turned to a darker shade of red in embarrassment. "I take it your talk went well?"

He addressed his question to Haldír too, and the two nodded in agreement. Fíli politely accepted the elves' praises, and then challenged Haldír to a match. According to Amad, it was a necessary gesture toward his people, as was winning the fight. Fíli hoped Haldír would be considerate and let him win, because despite his previous success, he wasn't sure he can beat an elven warrior.

First, he took Haldír to the changing area, to find him a blunt weapon and as he'd promised, his twin swords.

Haldír took the blades in his hand with tenderness, which earned him a little more of Fíli's sympathy. He traced the blades and the pattern of the hilt softly with his long fingers, and seeing genuine appreciation on his face filled the young dwarf with pride.

"They are beautiful," Haldír declared. "Where did you get them?"

"I made them myself," Fíli admitted.

"Truly? Are you a smith by trade?"

Fíli shrugged. "We had to get by."

"You must be very good," Haldír said, studying the blades with renewed interest.

"I'm average. I made them about fifteen years ago, and it took years to shape them perfectly to my liking."

That was all he was willing to disclose of the story, but the elf seemed to understand.

"Weapons are very personal objects, especially if carried for a long time."

"They have a soul," Fíli proclaimed without thinking. "They need caring, but they are loyal and they never leave." _At least not by their own will,_ Fíli thought, remembering how he had to strike a secret deal with Thranduil.

"They ask for so little and give us so much: our life," Haldír continued their musings. "I always try to pick up my arrows; I don't like to leave them scattered around, alone in the wilderness. Even if they are broken, they deserve respect for doing the work for me."

Haldír gave the swords back to Fíli, who put them back carefully to the sheaths.

"Let's find something for you."

This duel differed from the previous one on several points.

First, Fíli could rely on the crowd's full support.

Second, neither he, nor Haldír wanted to assert dominance – they performed ordinary, but spectacular training moves, careful not to hit each other too hard.

Third, when they felt they'd spent enough time to convince the crowd about the seriousness of the match, Haldír leaned closer to Fíli.

"Shall I let you win?"

Fíli grinned.

"If you don't mind!"

Despite gifting him the win, Fíli felt he managed to gain Haldír's respect, as the elf gained his. Although he couldn't make out the exact meaning of the strange looks Haldír was giving him, it seemed they established a friendly relationship.

His win certainly raised the mood of the dwarves – they saw first-hand that their King could fight an elf and come out on top. They concluded negotiations after lunch in a surprisingly short time, though often interrupted – thankfully, only by friendly banter about fighting style instead of hateful outbursts. (Thorin's absence may have helped too.) They managed to reach an agreement on the most delicate points, which pleased everyone.

The agreement meant the elves would leave the mountain the next day – if nothing else, that tiny detail made everyone content.

* * *

 **A/N:** Yay, chapter 7! With a little bit of angst. Thorin just can't give poor Fíli a break, but I really loved writing their scene.

But don't worry, we'll have a pool party in the next chapter to ease the tension!

Also, I've just finished writing the 15th chapter, which means this is already my longest story _ever_ (both in wordcount and chapter count)! And I still have the plot together. (At least I hope so.)

Drop me a review? Please?


	8. Pool Party

**Pool Party**

As the elves relocated to Dale, peace was restored under the mountain and to Fíli's council room too. Balin, especially, was pleased with how he handled the whole elf-business – Fíli had half a mind to berate him for not trusting him beforehand. He knew that they had a reason to be scared: they'd just retaken the Lonely Mountain, of course they would try to protect their ancient home and new wealth from any danger! Fíli himself was wary of the elves too, since the only guarantees he had about their peaceful intentions were the written reassurances of a strange elf-witch queen. And they were still staying near. He decided to just enjoy the council's support for now.

Unfortunately, his regained popularity led Balin to focus on his total disinterest in courting.

"Let's conclude any business for today," Balin suggested during lunch. "We have a party to prepare for, after all."

Oh, yes, the pool party – Fíli was quite aware, since Amad had lamented long about the few days of delay the elves' stay caused.

"I have to say, Dís knows how to entertain people. I've never realized her talent in this area."

"Did you just call her boring?" Fíli asked with mock horror, trying to derail his line of thought. "Wait until I tell her!"

Balin immediately realized his mistake, and apologized. Fíli laughed it off. Unfortunately, he wasn't quick enough to offer up another topic, so Balin continued.

"You are coming, aren't you?"

"Of course," Fíli nodded nonchalantly. He _really_ didn't want to hear _again_ Balin's opinion on his avoidance of these dwarrowdams.

"I'm glad you're taking time for having fun," Balin said. "I thought having all these ladies here would cause all kinds of trouble, but they're really very nice. You should spend more time getting to know them, flirt a little…"

Fíli sighed with frustration, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"I really don't want to push the issue, but even if you don't marry this year, you would benefit from a little practice. Remember what I told you about Thorin and courting! It's not as easy as it looks!"

"Balin…" Fíli was searching for words which wouldn't reveal the extent of his experience. "I honestly appreciate your concern, but I really don't need the practice, thank you. I'm going tonight, because it's important for Amad."

"Ah, the bravado of youth!" Balin had the audacity to pat him on the shoulder to show understanding, but also, a small amount of condescension. Fíli closed his eyes. _Don't mention Her._ He had to steer the conversation in another direction.

"And what about you? Have you met someone interesting?"

"Ah, I'm too old for this," Balin answered with a satisfied grin.

"And what's the expression for that?" Fíli said, wrinkling his forehead. "The cowardice of elders? Or maybe lack of practice?" he added impertinently, no longer able to hide his amusement.

Balin let out an annoyed huff. "If you can start acting like a grown dwarf, maybe you can join us, the Company. We're trying to stick together in the face of this new…"

Fíli decided to help him out. "…trouble?"

"…development!" Balin said. "We are talking about respectable ladies here! They aren't trouble!"

Fíli snickered. Seeing Balin get so huffy, he was getting curious. Maybe the Company needed his experience in dealing with dwarrowdams – Mahal knows, most of them were single for a reason! He wondered what the married members were thinking. Oh, what he wouldn't give to hear Glóin's, Bombur's or Bifur's thoughts! And how he wished to be among the already married ones… but no, his thoughts should stay away from that path.

"Alright, I'm going to join you, Balin," Fíli promised generously.

They went on their separate ways for the afternoon. Fíli caught up on his sleeping: his nightmares about Thorin's gold-sickness got more regular since their disagreement, and he'd found little rest during the night.

Balin came to wake him up later. He seemed to take him up on his promise, and did everything to ensure Fíli truly came to the party. He wasn't the only one – Dís made sure to neutralize every possible excuse her son can come up with.

A large group was already waiting at the entrance – they were allowed to enter the baths, but not the entertainment area. Dwarves and dwarrowdams were chatting about trivial things or offering their opinion on what they could see so far – they admired the dark green walls and approved of the comfort level of the small bathrooms. Fíli joined the Company; some of them were still missing.

"Fíli, lad, it's so good to see you!" he felt a way too strong hand patting his shoulder – Dwalin. "It's so good to be here, just us friends," he said with unusual fervor. Dwalin rarely expressed his contentment in words, and Fíli turned to him, asking for an explanation of this strange behavior. Dwalin didn't wait for him, though – he went on to say hello to everyone, one by one.

"Oh, hello, Fíli, Your Majesty!"

Fíli turned to the voice right behind him.

"Hello, Liv," Fíli greeted her less than enthusiastically. They've already been through this addressing-debacle several times. She was a brilliant architect, but her tendency to talk too much and listen too little made her a less than desirable companion for Fíli. He knew he should compliment her designs and ask if she was nervous because of the opening, but his mind supplied an image of himself with long, gray beard and still listening to her ramblings… and he decided he wouldn't encourage her. She didn't need a question to give an answer.

"I'm so excited! I mean, I've seen how it looks, I planned it, but still, seeing so many dwarves inside is new and exciting! I hope their praises won't overwhelm me!" she said, and blushed. "If there is any praise, at all. I do hope they won't hate it. You said you liked it, do you still?"

"Yes, it's still beautiful, unless something changed overnight," Fíli answered patiently.

"I wonder what we're going to do," she said. "Lady Dís is very secretive, she didn't even tell Vera. Vera tells me everything!"

Fíli suppressed his knowing smirk. Amad noticed a few bottles of wine missing from the stash she kept for the participants of the Spring Tour. She kept the bottles in her private wine cellar, of which no one outside the family (Vera included) knew. After a brief investigation, it turned out that Vera shared the location with a few of her trusted friends – Liv, among them. Amad's suspicion fell at her immediately: not for the stealing (since she firmly refrained from consuming even a drop of the sugary Dorwinion red), but because of her talkative tendencies. Who knows with whom she shared this classified information? Dís gave up on finding the culprit, but she moved the stash to a new location.

She's been more careful about what she told Vera since then.

"Did she not give you any hint?" she continued questioning him. "I would love to know what's planned. I like to be prepared."

Fíli assured her that he knew nothing and quickly turned around to find someone to get him out of her clutches. Damn Balin, he couldn't stick around after seeing him with a 'dam!

"Bofur!" he found his savior.

"Fíli! Nice of you to join us!"

Thankfully, his joy was genuine, lacking the judging tone of Balin. Liv took the hint and disappeared.

"So, where is the lass from the other night?" Fíli asked conversationally.

"Apparently, she was more interested in the company I keep than myself."

"Sorry to hear that."

"Oh, nevermind! There are plenty others."

Before he could find out more, he heard a new voice from behind him.

"Your Majesty!"

He turned and found there the pair of dwarrowdams who he'd met a few days ago. He greeted them politely, and cursed his less than exemplary behavior from the other day. The ladies seemed to want more than greeting him in passing, and Bofur winked at him, so he forced himself to play nice. _For Amad. She needs no more trouble._

"I don't think we've been introduced, but please, call me Fíli."

The 'dams giggled before relaying their own names. The bolder one was called Seenia, but Lena was the prettier of the two. Seenia was telling him about her love of baths and inquiring about his preferences. She hooked her arm around Fíli's, and when she started describing her bathing garment, Fíli had the impression that she wanted him to get her out of it. She was going on about how she hoped it wasn't too revealing, while tugging on the hem of her shirt, allowing him a peek at the bare skin of her stomach.

When the doors to the entertainment area opened, Fíli completely missed the 'oh!'-s and 'ah!'-s of the dwarves around him, as Seenia completely monopolized his attention. He was aware that she said nothing of importance, still, whenever she noticed his focus wandering, she forced his attention back at her with a question or a touch.

Lena tried to drag him away from her. "Seenie, you should let him go. Come, Fíli, let's go inside."

Seenia swatted away her friend's hand.

"Yes, Fíli, we should get inside! Maybe you can show me around. Surely you know every corner of the Mountain, being king, don't you? We should find the perfect corner for ourselves," she said, turning to him. Her large dark eyes mesmerized him, he felt like they were growing and getting closer, and he would be sucked into the dark pools, getting stuck in them forever. She was leaning closer, Fíli realized. "Take a little private time," she finished her sentence with a low giggle, whispering in his ear, her hand wandering upwards on his neck.

Seenia cruelly left Lena behind, who reluctantly settled for Bofur's company. Fíli felt himself led through the paths between the pools, to a point at the cave's back. Seenia had no trouble sweeping him away from everyone else, and Fíli found it a little scary, but more admirable right now.

"This is a clever design, don't you think?" she turned back, to ask him, but she was fiddling with her blouse, opening the top button. Fíli nodded, enthralled and a little amused.

He knew he should put a stop to it, or at least, say something. Fíli didn't want to lead her to believe there was more to their current encounter than temporary comfort and release. Seenia's intention was quite obvious, and Dwalin taught him better than to completely scorn a lady's advances. His head tried to warn him about consequences – they would both still be here tomorrow –, but his gut said to ignore it and go with the flow.

He stopped.

"Aren't we getting a little carried away?" he asked, sizing her up.

"We are. Isn't it the reason we are here tonight?" she said with artful innocence. "To play around, have some fun… Isn't it what we want?" she said, leaning up to him. She took his hands and put them on her hips. "Don't you want to kiss me?" she asked, her lips almost touching his.

Her forwardness did the trick. He was a moment away from saying yes – or perhaps not saying a word, only do what she was asking for –, when someone touched his shoulder.

He groaned in frustration, and awkwardly turned his head to see who dared to disturb him. His arms were still around Seenia's waist, and she held him firmly in that position, glaring daggers at the bothersome newcomer.

Kasia stood there, with patient understanding shining in her eyes. She looked unfazed by the scene she'd just interrupted.

"I need a partner for the game," she announced.

Fíli's mind tried to catch up. He probably missed whatever happened in the last minutes. "And how can I help with that?"

"I need a partner," Kasia stated, tugging at his arm. Seenia tried to hold on to his hand, but their struggle made Fíli annoyed and he forcefully tore his body away from Seenia, away from either dwarrowdam's touch.

"I'm a little preoccupied, you know," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Kasia pouted: "But you owe me!"

Her statement surprised Fíli, and he let down his guard for a mere moment, which was enough for Kasia to grab his shoulders and forcefully steer him back to where the others gathered.

"I don't owe you anything!" Fíli said after trying to come up with a relevant memory.

Kasia turned and looked at him sternly.

"First, you owe me a little gratitude, freeing you from that pest! You do realize that some of these dwarrowdams are willing to go to great lengths to get a crown onto their swollen head?!"

Oh. Fíli blushed in shame. Liv tried to warn him about this when they first met. He was aware of the possibility, of course, but Seenia's forwardness uprooted him. Him being of royal blood always intrigued women, but not longer than a night or two. He was counting on overt flattery and attention-seeking behavior from those trying to become his queen; perhaps a little boasting about their wealth or ancestry – but an approach through carnal pleasure?

Of course. He should have realized it sooner. It was the easiest and surest way to get him into wedlock. Fíli felt like a naïve little child after falling for Seenia's cunning plan.

"Oh, Mahal, you're as stupid as your brother!" Kasia sighed.

"Am not!"

"Are too. And you owe me for him."

"For him?" Fíli asked befuddled. "I had nothing to do with your relationship!"

"I know. Still, it's a good excuse to get you as my partner for the game," she said sweetly, shrugging. "Consider it a gift: you're partnering with a harmless friend instead of a conspiring leech."

"What kind of logic is that?" Fíli murmured, trying to hide his embarrassment behind a façade of discontentment. It didn't fool Kasia.

"Female," she answered, her smile not faltering under Fíli's glare. "Come, let me get you into _harmless_ company."

They met up with some of Kasia's friends, who were sitting around the corner of the big pool in the middle of the cave. One brave dwarrowdam was already in the water, scaring the others with the splashes of her dive. Most of them sat still wrapped in their robes, with their feet dangling in the water, some merely dipped in her toe and decided to stay dry. He'd met them before, when Kíli bullied him into taking lunch with them. They weren't interested in him then, but of course that was before he saved Raya. Now, he wished for that blessed quiet ignorance.

For a mere flick of her hand, they cleared a place for Kasia and Fíli.

Raya wasn't here, naturally; her arm, still held up in a sling, prevented her from much activity. The girls were asking after her, and they cheered at his news that she was moving back to her room in the coming days.

Kasia told them an exaggerated version of the scene she interrupted. It seemed they unanimously despised Seenia, and hailed Kasia as a hero. Fíli would have been ashamed of being so gullible, had something else not drawn his attention during her tale.

 _After emerging victoriously from his duel with Haldír, they went back to their companions – only, instead of the serene group they left there, they found an uproarious gathering, with Nori and another dwarf in the middle. They were sorting out the results of their betting pool, it seemed._

" _Hey Fíli, you made us quite an income," Nori said, grinning widely and patting his shoulder with approval. "Let me introduce your newest fanboy, Breen!"_

 _Fíli didn't really understand what was happening, but he accepted the compliments from the dwarf, who looked too respectable to be Nori's friend. Breen left him after relaying his extensive compliments and inviting him for dinner, and joined Nori again. Fíli listened in on their conversation to confirm his suspicions._

" _You have a keen eye for business, son!" he declared. "Who would have thought that we can gain so much from these prissy creatures!"_

" _Me, as you can see," Nori said dismissively. "Let me give you your winnings."_

" _Oh, no, no. It's your money."_

" _We made the deal together. Let's call it a loan."_

" _Oh, no I can't take it," the dwarf protested weakly. "I'm too rich for that, and if my wife learns that I'm betting again… on borrowed money… You will be happy with the whole sum."_

" _I own one-fourteenth of the gold we found in the mountain, you know. I won't even feel losing half of our winnings, which we agreed to be yours."_

 _At first, it sounded like one of Nori's usual shady deals, but now, it started to get bizarre, since Nori certainly wouldn't give away his money without profit. Where was the profit then?_

" _Fine." Breen pocketed the money Nori counted out to him. "Let's get back to my family. And you are invited for dinner, too."_

 _Fíli followed them with his eyes, and when they settled right next to a group of three dwarrowdams, two of whom were participating in the Spring Tour, Fíli understood where Nori would find his profit._

He was facing one of these dwarrowdams now. She was sitting with Kasia's group, but clearly belonged to the outer circle. She seemed shy, and contributed little to any topic. Her sister was louder, but with another group – with Ori's sweetheart, if his memory served him right. Fíli wondered which of them managed to wrap Nori around her finger – he would bet on the louder one, since one had to have a powerful no-nonsense attitude to put up with Nori, and the quieter sister simply looked way too timid for that.

Eventually, Fíli turned back to the conversation. Kasia now was boasting about getting the King as partner.

"What exactly is this game you're talking about?" Fíli asked her.

"You don't even know what you've signed up for?" asked the dwarrowdam in the water. "Can you even lift her?"

"Why should I?" Fíli replied, confused.

"Because you will have to carry her on your shoulders," the 'dam answered and dipped her head beneath the water again.

"Oh, he's plenty strong," Kasia answered dismissively, talking to the others. "Raya said he held her and his arms feel wonderful!"

Fíli listened on with interest. Was Raya gossiping about him? Were they interested after all? Suddenly, Kasia wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"I think we'll manage."

"Manage what, exactly?" Fíli asked, slowly unwrapping himself from Kasia's clutches.

"Oh, we'll have to push the others into the water, while I'm sitting on your shoulder. The winner gets a Dorwinion champion," Kasia explained.

"Champagne," Fíli corrected her instinctively.

"Ah, that. I was wondering what we should do with a champion."

"Drink it, of course!" Fíli said laughing.

"Is it any good?"

"It's like sparkly wine," Fíli said. "It's very rare. They've sent us a few bottles, asking for our permission to name it Dragonwine."

"Well, then we shall win," she stated.

"What do we know about the other contenders?" Fíli said, changing into battlefield mode.

"Oh, the girls are all in contention. Zaz," she pointed at the dwarrowdam in the pool, whispering, "is sneaky, but her partner is a little slow on the uptake." She continued, going over everyone. Fíli liked her excited dedication, and he suddenly understood why she got on so well with Kíli.

"What about her?" He pointed at the shy girl, when Kasia finished her analysis.

"Oh, Alin doesn't like the cold water," Kasia said, following the direction of Fíli's gaze. "She's nice, but she's too spoiled to be any good in games like this." She continued on a hushed tone. "And she has this rich secret suitor, I don't think he would like to be exposed or see her with another!"

Fíli's jaws fell. _It's her!_ He studied her with renewed interest. He will need further proof, but it seemed he discovered the identity of Nori's lover.

Giddiness spread in his veins. Unable to hide his satisfied smirk, Kasia noticed his reaction.

"You know something!" she accused him. "Are you him?!"

"What? No, of course!" Fíli denied, laughing it off.

"I thought you liked Raya! But it's her!" she said with barely contained mirth. Fíli rolled his eyes.

"I promise I'm not courting anyone. Not even Raya. Certainly not…" he waved in the dwarrowdams general direction, as if unable to recall her name so suddenly. "…her."

Kasia met his eyes with a stern glare. "Fine! I believe you, but I'll be watching you! Or you can just tell me what you know," she offered.

Fíli shook his head. "Can't. You're too much like my brother."

"Am not!"

"Are too," he stated firmly. Yet, Kasia pouted and looked ready to argue further, so Fíli slipped into the water. He swam a few strokes to get used to it, and turned back to Kasia, who was still standing on the edge.

"Aren't you coming in?"

She seemed to wake from a daze.

"It's deep."

"Yeah, it is."

"You know, we need to win."

"Why?"

"Because unlike you, I can't swim."

Fíli laughed. "I promise if you fall in, I'll get you out. It's shallower on the other end, anyway. Come in!"

Kasia rewarded his promise with a tight smile. She dipped in her toe and shuddered.

"Fine. I'm going in, but only on the shallow end!"

She walked away, and Fíli followed her, swimming. When he caught up to her, she was watching the water with distrust. Her face distorted into a painful expression, but she finally came to a decision and dropped her robe. Fortunately, her bathing suit was considerably more modest than Seenia's, but as Fíli looked around curiously, she seemed to be alone with it. Liv, for example wore such tiny pieces of fabrics over her chest and hips that Fíli had to take a second look. She must be planning distraction as tactics.

"Come over, and hold onto me!" Kasia demanded, but her forceful command couldn't hide her anxiety.

"You know, Kíli would pretend to hold you and when you start to feel safe, he would pull you under, pretending to be a water beast."

"Thank Mahal your idiot of a brother is gone, then!"

She squealed, as she climbed into the pool. She relaxed, when she found the bottom with her feet. "Don't leave me alone here, do you hear me?"

Soon, the game started. He looked around, assessing their opponents. He saw Nori's lover meeting with her sister and sitting down together to watch the game, but he couldn't find Nori anywhere.

Kasia and he worked well together, despite losing against Liv. The sneaky 'dam didn't distract Fíli at all – she chose a young, agile guard for partner, and came from behind them, and practically jumped at Kasia, dragging her down. Fíli fell with her.

While they crawled out of the pool, they made a competition out of cursing Liv. They sulked a bit, and Fíli decided to join the Company.

Fortunately, Thorin elected to spend to night elsewhere (presumably, with his _friend_ ), but Dwalin was there with their packages, in a clearly inebriated state.

"What's up with him?"

"He's impressed," came a reply from Nori, who'd just come back, supplying Dwalin with another mug of ale.

"Oh?" Fíli waited for an explanation, but Nori casually ignored him, sitting down and picking on his nails. As a result of his silence and Fíli's annoyance over their defeat, he decided to comment about his presence here. "And you?"

"I'm minding my own business here," he shrugged.

"Did you not find anyone to your liking?" Fíli asked with feigned innocence. Nori noticed his change of tone, and looked up suspiciously. Fíli held his glare smugly, and he thought he saw a flicker of uncertainty in Nori's eyes.

"What's it to you?" he asked defensively. Fíli shrugged. Soon, Nori threw his knife to the ground, gulped down the remainder of his ale, and straightened his clothes. He picked up his knife, pointing it at Fíli for a moment, but then, he put it away and left.

Fíli looked around. Bofur was beating out a rhythm on a drum, wistfully looking at the pairs sitting everywhere. It seemed his popularity among dwarrowdams dwindled drastically after his blunder with a brothel in Dale. Despite Balin's promise to stick together, the rest of the Company made themselves scarce.

"I'm going to kill Dís if she doesn't kill me first," Dwalin groaned.

Fíli wanted to stand up for his mother, but Dwalin's words confused him, and the older dwarf wasn't in a state to offer up comprehensive explanation. He was acting strangely. Usually, he would be the first to join a game like this, so what was his problem now?

He wondered if he'd been here long enough for tonight. The embarrassing start gave way to a pleasant time, and he wondered if he could call Kasia a friend now. The night was eventful enough for his liking, but when he started to sneak away, Ori joined him.

"Fíli, I'm glad you're still here. Can I talk to you for a second now?" he asked, looking around, as if he was planning mischief.

"Sure."

"See, I've been meeting with this dwarrowdam, Lee, if you remember her," he said, waiting for Fíli's confirmation. "We have plans. Long term plans," he emphasized.

Fíli stopped in his tracks.

"What do you mean exactly?" he asked, but Ori's hopeful face said more than any words.

Fíli wanted to run away – to leave his friend behind and not hear what he had to say… And why would he tell him this? No, Fíli didn't want to hear it – he'd been there, with hopes and plans, and he didn't want to see someone else's success where he failed, and be supportive. He knew it was selfish, and he was a better person, but he couldn't stop the feelings suddenly flooding him.

 _Flor._

He strode up to a side table, quickly finding the strongest alcoholic beverage and poured himself a full glass. Ori followed him uncertainly. Fíli could have kicked himself for ruining his friend's happiness, so he spoke:

"I suspect your news require a toast?"

"No, no, please, no!" Ori protested. Fíli's heart soared. He took up his glass anyway. "I don't want to make a big deal out of it. More exactly, I don't want anyone else to know but you."

 _Lucky me,_ thought Fíli, but prompted Ori to continue.

"So, we have plans, and yes, _that_ kind of plans, if you're thinking what I think you're thinking, but you know the rule: nothing official until the summer solstice!"

Dís made that rule, so the dwarves and dwarrowdams can have enough time to get to know each other. After the announcement, they still had to wait three months to marry, and make the arrangements during that time.

"Can you keep it a secret?"

"Keep what a secret?" he asked, sipping on his drink. It tasted funny, but it would do right now. _Flor is my secret._ He decided to play the game he and Bard invented. He quickly went through his first glass and filled himself a second.

"I… we'll need an apartment."

Fíli nodded.

"We want to move in together."

Fíli decided that he didn't need a magic word anymore. He just drank.

"We want a place for ourselves. I don't want to stay with my brothers forever. Dori isn't very happy with her, and I'm not happy with him, because he's trying to keep me at home, and I want to be with Lee."

"That's nice," Fíli supplied, hoping that he wasn't making strange faces.

"Yes. So, we need an apartment, as soon as possible."

"There are a lot of empty ones in the mountain, take your pick. I can set up a meeting for you with…"

"Can't you just give it to me yourself? Like, with a royal decree, or something? As I said, Dori doesn't like the idea, and I don't want him to ruin it for me. If I apply for it officially, he'll know."

"I see," Fíli said, drinking again. He would gladly grant Ori's wish, but actually dealing with it _himself_? That meant a lot of marriage talk and watching a happy couple. A lot more than he cared to hear and see.

Still, Ori was a reliable friend, and Fíli liked to think that he was a good person, who helps his friends.

"Let's come over one day, and we'll find something for you."

* * *

 **A/N:** Finally! Fíli is getting out, making new friends, and finds out not one secret but two! Huh, busy night. Maybe he should've stayed home and brood. It's a lot more fun, don't you think?

Thank you so much for the reviews on the last chapter! Now let's see some answers:

 **T.O.W.G:** I think expressing their feelings with actions is more fitting for these two, hence the battle scene. I also think I'm a masochist, because actually writing that scene was a lot harder than I thought, so thanks. The elves are not going far, they'll stay at Dale and they will certainly cause trouble.

 **dojoson41:** Haldír is my favorite elf ever :)

 **Emrfangirl:** Fíli had to win, he had no other choice. He'll also get out more, he won't get rid of these 'dams easily!


	9. Connection

**Connection**

"So, what was that about with the King last night?"

"Oh, hush!" Kasia elbowed her in the ribs, and looked around to see if anyone had heard them. She and Zaz offered to help Raya, who finally moved back to her room. As she missed out on last night's fun, they sneaked her in to have a look and take a bath in one of the new bathrooms. Raya was soaking in a tub, but as she preferred more privacy, Kasia and Zaz left her alone, and sat down in front of the door.

"What? Am I not allowed to ask?"

Kasia made a disgruntled sound. She wouldn't outright forbid Zaz to ask, as she told her everything. She valued Zaz's friendship. They both had considerable experience regarding the other sex, but while Kasia grew up in poverty, Zaz was the daughter of a rich merchant, so she felt more at ease among all the luxury Lady Dís provided for the Spring Tour. Her insight was often appreciated.

"Can't you give me a little warning beforehand?"

"No, that would give you time to make up an excuse. So, spill: what's with you and His Majesty? I thought we didn't like him."

"He's not that bad."

"Weren't we trying to set him up with Raya?" she whispered, leaning closer.

"We did," Kasia said. "And they are speaking, but I don't think we should be pushing for more right now."

"That's true," Zaz agreed, turning her gaze in Raya's direction. "I know I always complain about my parents being too cold, but _that_ amount of caring would be a little bit too much even for me."

"I know what you mean," said Kasia darkly. "Couldn't they just come over and say hello, like any normal parent would do?"

"So that's what normal parents do?" asked Zaz in a comically surprised manner. Her parents were emotionally distant, but she felt at ease joking about her sad family situation with Kasia, since she never pitied her.

"I'm going to help her," Kasia declared.

"With what? Aren't you here to get a rich husband? Come on, Kíli's a bastard, let's choose someone else."

Kasia flinched. "I'm not sure I'm ready for that."

"I'm appalled!" Zaz exclaimed, clutching her heart in mock horror.

"I think I need to slow down and take a good look around. I just jumped into this thing with Kíli without thinking, and look what happened!"

"Exactly. So you're going to meet new people and get to know them. If you try to marry one of them too soon, I'm going to stop you, deal?"

Kasia grunted. "I feel so stupid! I came here with a great plan, and now it's ruined!"

"Let's start over!"

Kasia tugged on the braids falling on her shoulders. "I hate it here! I hate myself and I hate Kíli more!"

"There, there," Zaz said, patting Kasia's arm. "Get it out. Now care to tell me about what's that with the King?"

Kasia stopped the tugging, and sat on her hands to stop fidgeting.

"You'll think me stupid."

"I will if you've suddenly fallen for him!"

"He's… Dear Mahal, NO! I wouldn't fall for him. He's still his boring, moody self. He's just… He saved Raya. And he was… he was very nice about this thing with Kíli. He's not that bad."

"So you're falling for him?" Zaz concluded.

"As I said, no!" Kasia stated firmly. "I don't want to be his queen. Besides, he should fall in love with Raya. The sooner the better, did you hear how I found him last evening?"

Zaz shook her head: she caught a few words, but half the time she was under water. While Kasia related everything explicitly to her, she was riling herself into quite a laughing fit.

"So, as you can see, he's not as perfect as he wants to appear," Kasia finished, "but he's nice – and awfully young, maybe inexperienced too. Kíli certainly was! I don't want to see him with someone like that mean slut Seenia."

Zaz, her laughter finally lessening, agreed.

"So what? Are you taking him under your wings too?" she asked.

Kasia shrugged – she was good at this at home. They'd already decided to help Raya, but to try to influence the King of Erebor? They needed a whole new type of skillset for that.

"I wouldn't say it like that, but yes, I think being friends with him would be a good start!"

"Clever," mused Zaz.

They helped Raya climb out of the tub – with her arm still in a sling, she weren't moving so confidently on the slippery floor. Raya thanked them, but Kasia and Zaz exchanged a secretive smile.

They walked Raya back to her room, but the two dwarrowdams encouraged her to enter her room alone.

"Oh my goodness!" Raya squealed.

Kasia and Zaz giggled, seeing her excitement. They spent the morning tidying the room, while their fellow Spring Travelers put together a gift basket. They peeked into the room, where Raya couldn't decide where to look, what to touch first. There was a big 'Welcome home!' sign stretched across the room, and Raya couldn't believe all the gifts, all the work put into these gifts, only to make her feel better.

"We should have a party tonight, just us, girls," Zaz suggested. "What do you say? You can thank the others, and you can catch up on what's happening to everyone."

Raya nodded. "I have no idea what's happening to anyone lately," she admitted. "Everyone came to visit, and I didn't even pay attention, and then this… I'm such a bad friend!"

She started weeping. Kasia pulled her into her arms, and smirked at Zaz, beckoning her closer. Zaz rolled her eyes, and patted Raya's shoulder.

"There, there."

Kasia looked at her with approval, but her friend's scared expression clearly told her that she was out of her depth in such an emotional situation.

"Why don't we clear up a little space and sit down to see what you got?"

Zaz immediately leaped to occupy herself with something, but Raya was harder to move; they had to wait until she reined in her sobbing.

"I'm sorry! I'm such a mess, and I'm a bad friend, and a bad… I was a bad daughter!"

Kasia forcefully pushed her to sit down on the bed, and dropped the biggest basket into Raya's lap. They had to focus on it now, and it clearly distracted both Raya from her grief and Zaz from her discomfort. Kasia sat down next to them, and they went through the contents of the basket piece by piece.

Someone knocked, and Zaz, still uncomfortable with the emotions running high, went to open the door.

"Your Majesty," she curtsied politely, glancing at Kasia askance, but she was just as surprised.

"I hope I'm not interrupting."

King Fíli strode into the room, with his shiny crown and majestic attitude, but when he looked at Raya, a small, but kind smile spread on his lips.

"I see you're settling in," he said to Raya. She was still wiping her tears, but her face lit up seeing the dwarf in the room.

"Yes!" Raya answered, still sniffing. Kasia offered a handkerchief to her, and watched Fíli from the corner of her eye.

The young king continued to question Raya, but he only spared her brief glances to ascertain the truthfulness of her claims, and inspected the room carefully instead. Kasia almost choked on her laughter. Maybe he had more in common with his brother than she thought! Kíli's cluelessness had hurt her, but maybe she would be able to steer Fíli to the right path.

Zaz stood behind him, and made a quiet derisive snort, probably thinking the same.

Raya was showing him the gifts, and Fíli nodded approvingly.

Unexpectedly, he turned to Kasia.

"I guess it was your idea?"

The question startled Kasia, who was currently planning a strategy to bring these two together. It won't be easy. Raya blushed several times, but finally stopped stammering. Fíli was acting as if it was an official visit. She barely managed to get out a "Yes!" to answer him.

"You're a good friend," he smiled, turning his attention completely at Kasia. "I'm glad you're still helping her. She'll need the company," he said. He turned to Raya and continued on a stricter tone: "Hear that, Raya? Get out as much as you can. Talk to your friends. Can you promise me that?"

Raya muttered a "yes", and Fíli turned back to Kasia.

"Can you watch out for her, please? You like company, don't you?" he asked, looking deeply in her eyes. "Stick together, it helps. But I think you already know that," he smiled again. He left with a short "Goodbye!" just as quickly as he came.

Zaz looked ready to explode.

"We'll just leave you settle in," Kasia said to Raya, "and we'll be back before dinner."

With these words, she left the room too, dragging an impatient Zaz with her to her own room.

"Can you see it now?" she asked her friend. "He has a kindness in him. He's looking after her, and I think they're going to be a beautiful couple, but they need a little help."

Zaz waved her off.

"You shouldn't meddle. Raya was so flushed, I'm surprised she didn't faint. You should get your life on track before getting them together. So, who's going to be your man tonight?"

Kasia flinched, but had to admit that there was truth in Zaz's words.

"Whoever gets to me first, I'm not picky yet."

Zaz looked at her with suspicion.

"Alright. I hate this topic, but are you sure you're not falling for our dear King?" she asked, and before Kasia could start denying it, Zaz counted out her points. "He's Kíli's brother. He's handsome. He's kind to your friend. He's kind to you. He's the kind of guy everyone falls for, but he chooses none."

"I know," Kasia said, sighing. "I only want to befriend him to help him and maybe get out the story behind Kíli's disappearance."

"Sounds good," Zaz nodded. "But do you remember what you told me after we met Kíli at the first night?"

Kasia remembered: it was a wonderful night, and a relationship with Kíli looked like a wonderful prospect, but…

"You told me that you wouldn't fall for a few well-chosen words, and that you had a plan, and you'll go through with it even if the King himself is groveling for your attention."

"I remember," Kasia groaned, tugging at her braids in frustration.

"You said you're going to seduce every dwarf under the Lonely Mountain and pick the most deserving as your husband."

"I remember!" she snapped. "Argh! You don't need to remind me!"

"Then maybe you can tell me how many dwarves you actually seduced?" asked Zaz with an innocent smile.

Kasia pouted. "Yes, Zaz, I understand that I'm a loser. Let's go find a dress, and I swear I'm getting a suitor tonight!"

"And it won't be the King. You'll avoid him."

Kasia snorted. "Can you stop? You're the one obsessed with him!"

Zaz shook her head in disbelief.

"Just promise me that you won't go down on the same road as with Kíli!"

Kasia rolled her eyes and called Zaz on a few unflattering names in her mind, but for the sake of their friendship, she promised.

* * *

The days passed slowly and sadly for Kíli in the prison.

He had been an unruly child, who grew up to be a reckless adult, and he'd spent several nights in jail at home, locked up after a drunken brawl or picking unnecessary fight with strangers (or not so strangers). He didn't really mind, since he was too drunk or tired to care about comfort, and he basically slept through his "punishment", but he did like to complain.

He couldn't really sleep now.

When they were captured during the quest for Erebor, he had to face the hard truth: getting locked away in Ered Luin only meant that Mum and/or Fíli got fed up with his antics, and wanted to have a quiet night. He always had food, a pitcher of water, and a blanket to ward off the cold. In the cells of the Elvenking's prison, all he had was company: Fíli and the other's presence made it bearable, until Bilbo got them out.

Now he was alone, he couldn't even see outside, and he was deliriously hungry.

And no sign of Tauriel, which meant she wasn't in the Elvenking's castle. _She was a captain, she should know about his presence in the dungeons,_ he reasoned, so the lack of reaction on her part could only mean that she wasn't here. He refused to consider the option that she wouldn't care.

Kíli knew the legends about finding your One. Tauriel… she came from the sky. Or rather, from the trees, but she was a sight to behold. Her fighting skills mesmerized him, but there was little time to dwell on such things. Still he didn't forget her, and later, he saw her walking around, inspecting the prisoners. Their eyes met, and he tried to look tough and angry, but a spark of curiosity in her eyes proved to be his undoing. She didn't smile, not at first, but he knew she was seeing them (especially him) as people, and that she would return.

Indeed, she came back. She was saying all the right words an elf was supposed to say, but there was an underlying interest. Most guards were merely doing their job, ignoring that the dwarves were living beings too. Tauriel was different: she didn't forget it for a moment, and she was watching, seeing, cataloguing everything in her mind.

The other dwarves didn't seem to notice that: they were too preoccupied with their hatred and anger, but Kíli was always a bit peculiar – less prone to hatred, more curious about anything foreign. He was watching Tauriel watching them, and sometimes, their eyes met.

She even offered him a hint of a smile sometimes.

It baffled Kíli. Was she laughing at him? Was it a sign of friendship? Or just an acknowledgement of mutual interest?

Oh, he was intrigued. He wanted to watch her more, to see her in her natural element, outside the walls of the prison, where she was carefree. He wanted to get out only to follow her, momentarily forgetting even about Erebor.

One night (or day, who knows), Tauriel came to speak to him, and he tried his best to capture her attention. He tried to be what he thought a proper grown dwarf would be, but Tauriel only laughed, and Kíli, in his confusion, revealed something of his character that captured her interest. (Although, he had no idea, what _exactly_ he did.)

When they escaped, he wasn't really thinking about her, but when he saw her outside the gates, he couldn't help himself. During the slow ride in the barrels, he fantasized about a great, epic love story about two warriors chasing each other across realms, their passion always driving them back to each other. It kept his mind from acknowledging the throbbing pain in his knee. Then he got sick, and he thought he was going to die, and she was there…

Kíli wasn't aware of what happened that night: he only remembered Tauriel's powerful, ethereal presence. It was so dreamlike!

All he saw and heard and felt was _Her_.

He was barely conscious when they had to leave Laketown, but by the time they reached the shore, he realized one thing.

He was calling her 'Her'. With a capital H.

He knew about Flor, and he'd heard Fíli mentioning her. He'd never said her name, but the emphasis made it clear: as if there were women, plus there was Flor, The Only Woman In This World Worth Thinking Of. At least, that's how Kíli could describe the difference – until now, because he was thinking of Tauriel in the exact same manner.

Like she was the only woman in this world worth thinking of.

They met again in the heat of the battle. They kissed. Oh, how he missed her during those dreadful days in the Lonely Mountain! Thinking of her was the only way to keep himself sane – oh, how he loathed Thorin then! But they found each other again, just like he imagined, and he knew: this would be their life from now on. He smirked when she appeared by his side again, and he could see so clearly their adventures, their happiness, their passion…

His distracted state allowed the enemy to strike, and he fell unconscious. One of his wounds got infected, and he spent more than a week in delirious fever. By the time he woke up, Tauriel was gone.

He asked Fíli what happened. He feared the worst. Fíli reassured him that she survived, but he was evasive, and Kíli realized all was not well.

Fíli had given him a vague explanation that Tauriel had gone home with the Mirkwood Elves. Kíli didn't believe him, but Fíli wouldn't relent. When Kíli confided in him about his feelings, begging for his understanding, and telling that Tauriel wouldn't leave him in such an impersonal manner, Fíli got angry.

"She's an elf, she cannot be your One," he said curtly.

Kíli didn't believe that. He knew the legends, and none of them specified that your One must be dwarf. He thought that maybe he will be able to convince Fíli about this, but a year passed, and they were still running the same circles.

He often tried to bring it up. He wanted Fíli's advice, because Kíli didn't know what to do. Should he go and find Tauriel? Should he stay? They'd known each other for two weeks at most, with sporadic meetings and not an intimate conversation between the two of them, as Fíli often reminded him, but Kíli was sure she felt their connection too. Previously, he thought Fíli would be sympathetic, but he was cruel and derogatory whenever his love for Tauriel came up. He always told him firmly to forget her, while the hypocrite was wallowing miserably in his memories of Flor.

No, Kíli couldn't simply forget the woman who brought him back to life and danced with him on the battlefield! He refused to believe that she could either. So why had she left? He was so sure they'd meet again!

He only hoped it wouldn't be in the Halls of Mandos…

…because he would starve to death soon, with only his daydreams keeping him company. And then he could wait for an eternity, since elves were immortal – another one of Fíli's favorite arguments why they wouldn't make a fine pair –, so maybe he wouldn't even see her in the afterlife.

Maybe he should've stayed home.

* * *

Nori skipped dinner again. Alin was picking on her food, starting to get a little crestfallen. Nori promised that they would go public soon, but day by day, she felt the notion slipping farther and farther away. Nori had business he didn't want to speak about, he had a meeting, a mission, a job, whatever…

In fact, she had no idea what he did during the day, and he seemed to try to keep it that way. They talked about mundane things and deeply personal topics, or the newest Erebor gossip, but when she asked him about his day, he made up elaborate tales to divert her attention and redirected the topic to whatever they discussed before.

The girls often asked her about her mysterious admirer, since they'd seen every gift he gave her. Since Nori was so adamant, she never disclosed his identity. The girls told her that their love must be extraordinary, and at first, she believed so, but lately, she started to wonder. She'd seen couples walking around hand in hand, she'd seen them whisper sweet nothings to each other during dinner, she'd heard them planning their future. She started to doubt if love was supposed to be like this: secret, passionate, all-consuming. Perhaps he just enjoyed the thrill of hiding. Perhaps he had other lovers too.

No, he didn't have anyone else – of that, she was sure. Those gifts meant something. He made love to her every night, and – although in a roundabout way –, he'd even met her parents.

She failed to notice when a dwarf sat down beside her.

"I wonder why such a beautiful young lady is sitting here alone, looking sad."

Alin sighed. She had met this dwarf and they often exchanged pleasantries, but never really talked more than that.

"I wish I could cheer you up!" Varni said.

"I wish that too," she agreed. "Perhaps you can tell me about your day?"

She really just blurted out the first question that came to mind, but she realized that she was really curious. Of course, she wanted _Nori_ to answer this question, but since he wouldn't and he wasn't even here, anyone would do. Love required sacrifices, and it was high time she learned to cope.

"I had a very pleasant day, really. My income was above average, and I've met really interesting people."

"Tell me about them!"

He did. She enjoyed hearing how he dealt with people; she enjoyed hearing about the Men of Dale who came to the dwarven market. Malin forbid her to go near them, especially since the elves arrived, but her curiosity only grew because of it. Varni told about how one of his clerks started up a very uncomfortable argument about Dale's traditions, and how he arrived just in time to smooth it over. Varni made himself sound like a very upstanding citizen. Alin decided to visit him on the market to see for herself, when she can get rid of Malin for a while.

"What are you selling, exactly?" she asked, when she realized he'd never told her.

"Gems and beads," he answered, chuckling. Alin grinned; it was nice to get an answer for these questions.

"So that's how you can wear so many!"

"Exactly! I know it would be too forward to offer you one as a gift, but I think you can see it for yourself how good I am at my trade!"

Oh, yes. At least now she knew his trade. She knew everyone's trade, _except for the one's she was involved with._

Nori didn't show up for dinner at all. Tonight, she stayed with the girls for Raya's party, discussing the latest events. She had a good time, talked a lot and went to bed late, and when Nori sneaked into her chamber, waking her, she felt groggy and annoyed.

"What's wrong?" he asked gently.

"I'm tired," she replied. Nori kissed her on the cheek.

"It's alright. May I stay and guard your dreams?"

"Whatever. Just let me sleep," she said. He quickly undressed and slipped under the covers, hugging her from behind.

"Are you comfortable?"

She nodded, and snuggled up to him. She was mildly surprised that he didn't push for more, as he struck her as someone always taking what he wants, but she was too tired to really mull over it.

She didn't wake when he left, and in the morning, she regretted her coldness to him last night.

Perhaps it was love, after all.

* * *

 **A/N:** Everyone just wants to fall in love, but it's not so simple. The girls are plotting, Kíli... well, he seems stuck in the dungeons, and Nori doesn't seem to be good boyfriend material. Or is he? Maybe he has a good reason for going MIA during the day.

We'll see that in the next chapter, where we also meet a recurring character from a new POV!

Thanks for the reviews! (and feel free to leave a few words in the box below!)

Until next time, SV


	10. If You Need a Friend

**If You Need a Friend**

Fíli chose his mother's chambers to meet with Ori for a lunch. Dís was visiting the elves in Dale: she'd grown and sold herbs for many years, so she understood enough about fertile lands and plants to be able to decide if they were doing any good. Fíli hoped they wouldn't find her inspection an unnecessary harassment. As she was gone for a few days, Fíli immediately took up residence in her peaceful rooms in his spare time: no one would be foolish enough to enter her quarters in her absence and risk her wrath.

Ori too looked nervous, when he knocked and Fíli invited him in. He looked around carefully, as if afraid to leave a noticeable trace behind.

"Stop being so afraid of Amad!" he laughed at his friend. "You're going to take a wife, you cannot stay forever afraid of a dwarrowdam!"

"She's not just 'a dwarrowdam'! Lady Dís is a fearsome but just leader, with keen intelligence and very high standards, and she deserves our respect!"

Fíli smiled mischievously.

"I know you have a crush on her, but let me give you an advice: stop saying things like this."

"I don't…" Ori started to protest, but Fíli ignored him, and led him to the small sitting room, where only Dís' close friends were ever invited. Ori hadn't been here before. The realization that he was taken to such private places rendered him speechless for a moment. "I don't have a crush on her!"

Fíli shot him an unbelieving glance. "You sure? You're always the first to please her, whatever foolish idea she has!" he teased.

It was partly true: Ori always strived to please Dís, but it stemmed from the fact that he had no recollection of his own mother. Dori and Ori moved into their neighborhood in Ered Luin during the year Fíli spent with Dwalin, and Dís, missing her son, took Ori under her wings. She both terrified and fascinated him. He was grateful for her kindness, yet, never truly learned to accept it, but in return, he was almost blindly obedient.

Ori didn't respond. He was looking around in the room, studying and admiring the tasteful decorations. Dís preferred dark colors in her personal space, and as many old furniture as she could squeeze in the room. The small table, for example, on which their lunch and a few carefully chosen bottles were waiting for them, clearly remained here from another century – while she had everything renovated, the carvings on one leg were chipped and the scratches on the surface spoke of a different era too.

Fíli cleared his throat.

"Will you accept my congratulations now?" he asked.

Ori snapped back to reality. "Yes, thank you."

"How is Lee?" It was only polite to ask after her, wasn't it?

The question pleased Ori. "She's fine, I've just met her. She's very excited about marriage," he said, blushing.

"Dwarrowdams are supposed to be like that," Fíli murmured, remembering how Flor always gushed about her husband, but immediately realized that he should offer something constructive instead. "Tell me about her!"

Ori happily complied with the request. Fíli listened patiently, as Ori talked about Lee while they ate. He couldn't care less about the trivial information, like what colors she liked or where she preferred to buy food, but Ori was his friend, and he didn't want to ruin his happiness. He especially shouldn't be jealous because Ori succeeded where he couldn't, and probably wouldn't.

He sounded like a dwarf in love.

Fíli remembered the time, when he was dealing with the same emotions. He remembered the quiet excitement, because he had found something precious, and he wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but such things weren't to be talked about in details. Finding love was about intimacy and creation, a pure, overwhelming beauty of life, and seeing Ori struggling how to put it in words reminded him of a time when he was in a similar position. At first, Fíli truly hated this whole Spring-and-love nonsense, and he avoided everything it involved at all cost. Even now, he wanted little to do with romance, because of the memories it spurned. He feared he would be unfriendly with Ori because of his jealousy, but to his surprise (and utter relief), he couldn't find it in himself to truly begrudge his friend's happiness now.

"Lee is very grateful for your help, too," Ori said finally, and Fíli was relieved to get back to business.

"What kind of place would you like to have?"

Fíli had no idea what they would like: Lee sounded like a sensible, practical person, while Ori liked to dream. He half-expected that he would have to make the final decision, but Ori surprised him.

"We want to find a small place on the lower levels," he stated sheepishly. "Lee says if we don't have much room, we can have it all for ourselves."

Fíli furrowed his brows.

"Yes, but… don't you like it up here, with us?" As the first to arrive, the entire Company took up residence on the upper levels, around the royal chambers. They deserved to live in the best part of the mountain, and it was comfortable to stay together: to be friends with your neighbors and live so close to your friends.

"I like it!" Ori said, immediately trying to appease Fíli for the slight. "It's just… Dori is so overbearing sometimes!" he moaned, his eyes downcast.

Fíli snorted. "Only sometimes?"

Ori looked up at him, scared to say it aloud, but he was certainly relieved that Fíli understood him.

"He is so happy that we are finally together. He thought that when we moved the last time, we would be closer to Nori, but then Nori slipped away, again, and Dori sort of gave up… but now, he can keep his eyes on both of us, and he's calmer than ever. But he's still too much! He doesn't like Lee very much. He thought that we'll still live close to each other when we marry, but he's so nosy! If I call Lee over, we can't get a moment for ourselves! Dori is constantly knocking on our door, offering us tea or biscuits, or an activity, and it's really very inconvenient!"

By the end of his outburst, Fíli was grinning widely, which annoyed Ori.

"You have no idea what it's like!"

"No, I have no idea what it's like!" Fíli laughed. "But I understand why you want to move out."

"Lee says that if we stay too close or have too much space, nothing will change," he explained darkly. "I think she's right. I have no doubt that Dori will visit us very often if we live on the other side of the mountain. Mahal, he'd still visit us daily if we moved to Dale! But if he has to walk half an hour, he can't just pop in for a word in every moment."

Fíli snickered.

"I don't think such a small walk can deter him. Do you remember when we hid you in our house, and told him that you went with Amad to the Men?"

"Oh, don't you remind me!" Ori hid his face behind his hands. A good decade ago, he was starting to get along with Fíli, Kíli and their friends, but leaving Dori behind was always a difficult feat. He always had to report in and couldn't stay out late. Fíli and Kíli always came up with great excuses to send Dori on a false trail. "He walked an hour to safely get me home from town!"

"We told him that you're safe with Amad," Fíli defended himself.

"I heard, I was with you the whole time!"

"But we had a good time, didn't we?"

"Yes. And that's what I want now, too. Lee says that if we visit him often enough, he'll be alright. She must know, she has three older brothers, a father and an uncle, who are very nosy too," he sighed.

"Is this how you met? The both of you started to complain about overbearing relatives, and realized that you're soulmates?"

Ori rewarded his mirthful question with a glare, but as he didn't elaborate, Fíli supposed he was right.

"She says that they'll want to visit us often, and she loves them, but wants to lead her own life. So we'll have to subtly discourage them from staying with us for too long."

Fíli raised his eyebrows. "That's why the small apartment, so far below?"

Ori nodded, his face changing to an expression Fíli hadn't seen from him previously.

"We'll be very happy to welcome them in our home, and we'll dearly regret if they find the comfort lacking," he said smugly.

"Was it your idea?" he asked, befuddled. Ori used to be the one to remind everyone about the rules and the authority (even when Fíli liked to see himself as the authority in Thorin's absence).

Ori blushed. "Actually, Lee came up with it. She says it works very well."

"Fine by me," he shrugged. "And tell me how their first visit goes. I think I'll get on well with this bride of yours," he added with a mischievous smile.

"Sure!" Ori exclaimed with joy. "She would like to get to know you better! I always tell her stories about you and Kíli and the rest. My life before is quite boring, and I like to make her laugh."

Fíli hummed in understanding. They had great stories from the Blue Mountains. As memories came up, he and Ori started to exchange stories, trying to outbid each other who came up with the most details. Reminiscing about the old times was fun. A strange feeling arose in Fíli: his chest swelled, and he couldn't contain his words and his laughter. He hadn't laughed so hard for a while – his duties as king kept him away from his friends. He didn't even notice how isolated he'd become lately, but now he had to wonder if it was truly a price he had to pay.

"I can see why she's laughing at us," he offered, when he caught his breath after a hilarious story about Kíli trying to spy on bathing elves – he ended up naked in the lake instead, and some of their friends made Ori steal his clothes. "We were ridiculous!"

"Yes, we were… Oh, how hard I tried to fit in! There was nothing I wouldn't do to be included!"

"Yes," Fíli nodded. Often, Ori used to be pitiful with his desperate attempts to impress everyone. Now, seeing as he was able to laugh at his young self, Fíli decided to admit his part in the shenanigans. "To be fair, we often took advantage of your eagerness. I should have put a stop to it, but I too was curious how far you're willing to go. I was the one who told Kíli that you stole his clothes."

"It was you?" Ori squealed. Kíli's revenge still made him shudder.

"Sorry," Fíli said, and he meant it.

"Oh, it's been a long time ago," Ori waved him off, but he looked hurt. "You know, I used to look up to you."

"Oh, we were just crazy kids…"

"No, I mean you, alone."

"Oh."

"The others were fun, but you… You were fun, but still responsible. Even Dori liked you, and he encouraged me to befriend you when we moved there. We were quite disappointed that you were away then, but Dori was always talking about how grown up you must be, and the others were talking about how brave you were… I was looking forward to seeing you again. And then, you came back…"

Ori hesitated to continue. Fíli understood: the dwarfling he and Dori had met a few times completely disappeared on the road. Losing Flor turned him into a bitter, desperate, reckless mess, but being with Dwalin taught him how to be tough and 'keep his shit together'.

"Dori hated you then," he whispered. Fíli smiled, surprised.

"Why?"

"He believed you to be responsible, clever and well-mannered. And then you returned… being more like Nori."

"Oh. He didn't like the piercings, did he?" he asked, the corner of his lips curling upwards.

"No, sorry. Neither that tooth-earring."

"Yeah, maybe that was a bit too much…" Fíli mused. He got rid of these extremities after a while.

"And he hated the moustache."

"What?" That was when he started growing his moustache. He touched his braids now; he liked them.

"He still doesn't like those braids," Ori shrugged. "He thinks braiding you moustache is inappropriate. It reminds him of Nori."

"I see."

"I like it, though. I admired you even more, because you were like… Like you managed to find a balance between what my brothers represent. You were cool, but responsible, and I wanted to be like you."

Fíli appreciated the huge compliment, but the past tense felt like a slap.

"Don't you anymore?"

Ori shrugged, carefully studying a cupboard while answering. "I don't want to be like anyone anymore. Just… me."

That was actually quite impressive, and Fíli felt ashamed to question him so.

"Good thinking, I bet Lee likes you for it!"

Ori smiled, relieved. " _She_ does. Dori, less so. He fears that I'm turning into Nori. He's so worried, he doesn't even notice that he changed for the better, too."

"Nori?"

"Yes. Am I the only one who sees it?" he asked, not bothering to hide his exasperation. "He still likes to find his own path, but he's still here with us. That's the longest time he spent with us, like, ever!"

Fíli shook his head. When the elves started working on the fields a few days after they left, he asked Nori to keep watch on them. He anticipated a little quarreling and bargaining, but Nori accepted the task without any argument. Fíli shrugged it off: he thought Nori would complain later, or at least slack off during the days, but he faithfully reported every evening. Fíli didn't know how to react to his newfound diligence, so he decided to enjoy it while it lasts (probably not for long).

"No, you're not the only one," he answered.

* * *

"Beads! Gems! Pendants! Talismans!"

Alin followed the voice.

The marketplace was full of people – men and dwarves alike. Dale had a holiday coming up the next week, and men came up to the mountain to buy gifts. At one dinner, Varni told her about the special discount he was planning for the week, and she decided to visit his stand on the market. She figured she would blend in the crowd, her family was supposed to be elsewhere, anyway.

Of course, this crowd would be a perfect opportunity to meet her lover and slip away unnoticed, but Nori had business out of the mountain. Oh, how much she would like to be here with him! He could show her around, they would pick out small trinkets as keepsakes, and they could pretend to be an ordinary couple. Perhaps they would disguise themselves somehow – she could wear a shawl over her distinctive strawberry blond hair; he should cover himself too, and they could walk around holding hands.

Yet, he wasn't here, and she wanted to see how the market looked like. She hated how dwarrowdams were often secreted away (her parents didn't like when she went out alone either), and loved how the Spring Tour advocated just the opposite. She loved Malin, but she could be so close-minded sometimes, always sitting at home.

"Beads! Gems! Pendants! Talismans!"

She found the source of the voice: one of Varni's clerks. She found Varni nearby, passionately arguing with a customer. She smiled at him when he noticed her, and soon, he ended the debate, took the money and greeted her.

"Hello, hello, my dear!"

"Hello, Varni!" She let him hug her. They became friends in the past week, and she started to get used to his forthright personality. He liked hugging people – she saw nothing untoward in it. He did it to everyone.

"You chose quite a busy day to visit!"

"I really do not want to keep you up!" she apologized. "But you know my sister, she wouldn't like me here."

Varni chuckled with understanding.

"Come, see my beads," he led her to his stand.

"What about the talismans?" she asked, humor glistening in her eyes. "I didn't take you for someone to believe in such things!"

Varni let out a booming laugh. "What, are you a cynical?"

Alin smiled good-naturedly.

"I don't have to believe in them to sell them," Varni explained conspiratorially. "I just sell what my customers want to buy. If they want something more than a pretty gem, well, who am I to deny them the magical attributions?"

"You're nasty," Alin said with a laugh.

"I'm a merchant," Varni said. "A good one, if I may say. Quite prosperous. I have a good eye to see where the money is."

"And who am I to doubt that?"

Alin spent a good half an hour at his stand, admiring the beads, and then she went to explore other parts of the market. She agreed to meet Varni again before dinner – Nori wouldn't be back yet, and it would be nice to talk to the girls about someone, even if he was just a friend.

She spent the afternoon avoiding her sister. Malin knew about her secret admirer, but constantly pestered her with questions regarding his identity. She even brought up the topic in front of their mother once, who, despite respecting Alin's wish for privacy, reminded her firmly about what being a family meant.

Sisters share.

Alin and Malin grew up with this motto determining everything. They had enough money to get anything, but their parents didn't want to spoil them. They had to learn to share their toys, their books and their room for a long time, until their parents were sure that they understood that envy and greed was despicable and sharing meant caring.

The most important lesson was to share their secrets with each other. Their parents, while understanding a young lass' need for secrecy as a mean to become independent from her parents, encouraged their daughters to become confidants too.

It worked – mostly. Erebor and Nori changed everything, and Malin's honest attempts to regain their closeness fell on deaf ears. Alin, for the first time in her life had a taste of having something only for herself, and liked it. Oh, she wanted to go public with Nori, yes, to boast a little about their great love, but she was sure that his firm admiration wouldn't waver in front of others.

Her friendship with Varni was completely different: she didn't have to hide it from anyone, still, Alin didn't want him to join her circle of friends. She liked that he focused on her, and she wanted to keep it that way. A private friend. Varni had a lot of those: she'd never seen him join a group as she tried to cling to Kasia's entourage – he always focused on one person at a time. They mostly spoke during dinner, _accidentally_ sitting down next to each other.

Hiding from Malin was easier than she thought, as her sister always stuck to the same routes and places. Hiding in itself was boring, though: hours before the allotted time, she decided to check up on the place Varni suggested. He said it was a popular new site, but Alin hadn't heard of it yet. _Thundering Falls._ She had no idea what kind of strange place would have a name like that. To be fair, she wasn't really aware what was considered popular, since Nori preferred solitude, and the girls usually gathered either in the Courting Hall or in their sitting room.

She followed the directions Varni gave her. Something didn't add up: the further she walked, the corridors grew darker and more debris hindered her steps. What was this place again?

To her surprise, she reached the statuesque stone Varni described as their meeting point. Alin looked around: the corridor widened, and the ceiling rose, Alin couldn't even see how high. She couldn't see the way ahead either: no more torches lined the walls. It seemed she ventured into the part of the Mountain still untouched by reconstructions. A shudder ran through her spine. Who knew what was hidden in the darkness?

She heard a faint rumbling sound coming from ahead, and she decided to investigate a little. If this place was so popular, then why did it look so shabby and neglected? She picked up the last torch and slowly approached whatever laid ahead.

It seemed she arrived into a natural cave – she followed a narrow path between beautiful limestone formations. Suddenly, a drip of water dropping on her nose startled her, and she made a wrong step. Her foot slipped, and she fell forward. The impact knocked the torch out of her hand. She cried out, but immediately patted around for the torch – fortunately, it still gave enough light, but the fall deformed its top and the handle broke too.

Her palms and knees throbbing, she continued her expedition more carefully.

Suddenly, someone spoke.

"I don't think you should go further with that," said a female voice. She was too far from Alin to recognize her, but quickly approaching, judging by the sounds of her steps. She walked with much more confidence and agility here than Alin, who was too frightened to scream or move.

"What are you doing here alone?" the newcomer asked. Alin brought the torch closer to see her face. Dirt covered her skin, and made her features almost unrecognizable. _She must be a miner,_ Alin thought, but she immediately contradicted herself. Half of her hair was left free – something that no miner would do –, while the other half was braided back.

"Your torch is lopsided, it's going to die out soon," she commented drily. She spoke with little intonation, but her eyes radiated hostility. "It's too early, anyway, I'm still working. You and your little boytoy should come back later. Where is he, by the way?"

Alin's confusion grew by every word. "What boytoy?"

The dwarrowdam frowned.

"Are you saying you came here alone?" Alin nodded. "Why would you do that?"

"Because my friend suggested this place to meet and I wanted to check it out."

The dwarrowdam sniggered, but the walls of the cave echoed her voice. It was creepy, since Alin had no idea why she was laughing, but she felt like she was the joke.

"Sweetheart," the dwarrowdam said, still with a wide, but condescending smile, "I think you got lost."

"No, I'm not!" she argued. "That's the place he described. I found the landmark. I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be."

The dwarrowdam sighed. "No, I think you're not. Go home, Blondie."

Alin pursed her lips. How dare she ordering her around?

"Who are you to tell me what to do?"

"Your guardian," she answered. Alin still didn't obey, and the dwarrowdam sighed with frustration. "My name Reika. You see, there is a waterfall in the next cave, and I'm doing measurements for the King's plans. It's a secluded place, turned into a romantic hideout, so couples like to come here after I finish my work. I leave them my special lantern for a small fee, since torches can die out easily down here."

Alin furrowed her brows. Why would Varni lure her here then? Of course, he didn't know about her lover, but still… it was a strange place to meet. Her desperation must have been visible, because the dwarrowdam shook her head and continued sympathetically.

"What's your name, sweetheart?"

"Alin."

"Nice to meet you, Alin. Do you mind staying here a little? I'm going to finish up soon, and I can walk you back. We can have a little chat about this friend of yours."

Alin nodded.

The dwarrowdam promised to be back soon, and sashayed away, her steps quick and easy, like she wasn't walking on a slippery pile of debris, but on a dance floor. Alin turned and slowly found her way back to the statuesque rock Varni described.

Fear started to creep up on her: now that she knew why it was a popular place, she realized she'd made a huge mistake. Maybe she was sending mixed signals to Varni? Or can it be a simple misunderstanding? One thing was sure: Nori cannot find out about this.

* * *

 **A/N:** So that's Nori's big secret? Spying on the elves for Fíli? Meh. Why can't he just tell that to her? Look where she ended up! Luckily, our dear Cartographer appeared, and finally she has a NAME! (Though Fíli still doesn't know it.)

In the next chapter: Fíli gets a massage and Kíli gets out of his cell. Will he finally see Tauriel? Or continue his quest to find her? Or will he just go back to the safety of Erebor?

To **Guest:** Well, Nori is at the awkward phase when he tries to do good things, but has no idea how. Thorin is watching Fíli's actions now, waiting if he makes mistakes or handles everything well, and spends a lot of time with his _friend_ , being oblivious about her feelings :) He's coming back soon.


	11. Her

**Her**

Kíli groaned at the sudden brightness when someone finally opened the door. He'd been kept here for Mahal knows how long. He was hungry, tired, and utterly desperate. His defiance completely gone, he sank deeper and deeper into apathy. He knew that Thorin would still curse the intruders loudly, Dwalin would be ready for the attack, even in such a weak state, and Fíli… even Fíli would know what to do.

"Up!"

The harsh instruction met with ignorance. The elf came in, grabbed his shoulders and Kíli suddenly found himself in a standing position. He was dizzy; his eyes were beginning to adjust to the light, but his mind failed to catch up. The guard patted over his body, looking for hidden weapons. When he found none, he scoffed and stood behind Kíli, holding him firmly in place.

A new figure walked in. Kíli immediately recognized that one: the grace in his steps, the rigid posture, that self-righteous face – the Pretentious Bastard stood in front of him.

Through the haze of apathy, Kíli felt an overpowering amount of anger surging up in him, filling his veins, clearing away the sticky cocoon of misery. He noticed the firm grip the elf had around his wrists behind his back and struggled to get away – unsuccessfully.

Legolas watched him thoughtfully.

"State your reason of coming here, Dwarf."

Kíli remained silent, his hateful glare being his only answer.

"We do not take kindly to intruders. I know for a fact that you are not here in an official capacity, so tell me: what brings you here?"

Kíli resolved himself to bear the questioning in silence. His mind worked too slow to come up with good curses, but he wouldn't tell _him_ why he came.

The bastard made a gesture with his hand, and the elf holding Kíli shoved him to the ground. He let out a small groan: he managed to catch himself with his hands, but still, the impact was painful.

"Did you come to steal?"

Kíli refused to look up.

"Are you a spy?"

Kíli still didn't move.

"Are you here on your King's orders? A secret agent, maybe?"

As Kíli still hadn't reacted, the elf cautiously kicked his shoulders to see if he was conscious. The guard pulled him up to a kneeling position, and grabbed his chin, forcing his head to look in the direction of Mirkwood's prince.

"Answer me! Are you here to betray our peace agreement?"

Kíli tried to get himself away from the guard, which earned him a smack on the head with something hard, and for a moment, he saw stars.

"Did your brother send you?"

"What?"

Kíli had understood by now that the elves had no idea about his reason for coming here, but he really didn't think that they would drag Fíli into the middle of it. He didn't want to cause trouble for him, and a diplomatic misunderstanding screamed trouble.

"Did your brother send you to betray our agreement?" Legolas repeated with gritted teeth. Kíli could barely make out the words.

"No, no! My brother has nothing to do with it! I don't even know what agreement you're talking about. Am I not supposed to set foot in your forest?" he asked innocently.

Mirkwood's Prince lost his patience, and muttered something in a foreign language. _Maybe he was able to come up with relevant swear words,_ Kíli thought.

Legolas turned away, and Kíli saw as he buried his hands in his hair in desperation. He paced for a while without saying a word.

"Are you an idiot?" he asked drily. Kíli shook his head, too stunned to rile himself up on account of such an insult.

"My father doesn't know about your presence here, which means that I can easily kill you and hide your body in the forest, make it look like a _regrettable_ accident."

This outright threat didn't sit well with Kíli.

"My brother knows that I'm here, and he'll avenge me!" he stood up belligerently.

Legolas' eyes flared up. "So he knows! Did he send you?"

Kíli slumped, realizing his mistake.

"What does he want you to do?"

Kíli didn't react. He watched the desperate gestures and expressions of Legolas. He clearly annoyed the pixie, and it pleased him greatly. He eased into a comfortable position and crossed his arms on his chest. His elven guard didn't move to grab him again. When Legolas started the questioning again, Kíli only watched him with a smug smile. The pixie prince must have had enough of it, because he slapped him after a while, and walked out, frustration oozing from his movement.

He paused before leaving the cell.

"You're presence here is inconsequential. Oh, let me translate it to Stupid-Dwarf language: I have no use for you, so I'll kill you. I have no real reason for it, but you annoy me, and you… You… You deserve it! You… you… uncaring little shit!"

"That's a bit harsh, don't you think?" Kíli accompanied his words with an impertinent wink. Maybe that was a bit over the edge, because Legolas' face darkened, and a new, dangerous spark appeared in his eyes. He sized him up like a predator, and stalked back to him. His height advantage looked scary now as he towered over Kíli, slightly bending down. Were Kíli a craven (or had a little more sense), he would have cowered by now.

Legolas leaned really close to his face.

"Do you want to know why I really want to kill you?" he asked on a low, menacing voice, snarling. "Because of Her."

With this, he left.

Kíli stood, shaken by the experience. He'd never been so explicitly threatened before, and he had no way out of this predicament.

And what did he meant by _'Her'_?

Did he mean Tauriel?

Oh yes, Kíli was aware that Legolas had always been his rival for Tauriel's heart. Was he so vengeful because Kíli had won in the end? Or was it the other way around?

Oh, how ironic that he shall die for the lady without telling her he loved her!

Except… he shouldn't die. He was too young to die, and he really didn't want to die _here_ of all places. Not like this.

To his surprise, they soon pushed a plate through the opening under the door, and it contained real food. They left him alone though, but with his belly full, his willingness to fight his way out returned.

He banged on the door, and started shouting for anyone who can hear. No one answered. He started to curse them again, but the door muddled their reactions, if there was any. Maybe the door was completely soundproof, and they didn't even hear his cries.

Eventually, he tired himself out, and curled up in a corner to plan his escape. He couldn't come up with anything yet, and when he finally dozed off, the door opened again.

Fortunately, his survival instincts immediately woke him. Legolas didn't come with a blade, but with shackles.

Kíli's sleep-addled mind wondered what he'd need them for. Was he so afraid of a dwarf's strength that he would tie him up before cutting his throat, or what?

"I can't kill you yet, Dwarf," he stated quietly. His voice was strained, emotional. "I'll take you somewhere."

As he approached, Kíli jumped to his feet and took up a defensive position. Legolas called in a guard to help restraining Kíli, and they managed to bind his hands despite his protests. They stuffed something into his mouth and blindfolded him in the end.

He started to panic. Was this some kind of elven ritual before execution? Maybe Fíli finally came to take him home, and the elves wanted a dramatic farewell? They made him walk, and Kíli recalled the enormous spaces under the narrow pathways, and it chilled him to the bones. Falling down would be a disgraceful end. They proceeded slowly, and the elves helped him to navigate, but his panic wouldn't be quelled.

Either he tries to jump and die on his own terms, or he puts one foot in front of the other and sees where it leads.

He chose the latter.

He felt like a coward.

Were Uncle Thorin in his situation, he would have jumped, instead of letting himself manhandled so. Were Dwalin in his place, he would've pushed the elves down. Were Fíli here, he would've talked himself out of trouble by now.

 _Of course, none of them was foolish enough to get into such a situation,_ Kíli chided himself.

He was a coward, and a stupid one at that. Maybe he should listen to them next time, if he gets out of here alive. Yes, he'll just go back to Erebor and stay there with his family, and listen to Fíli.

Finally, they reached their destination, as the trio stopped, and Legolas opened a door. They pushed Kíli into a room – he feared the door would lead to nowhere, and they would push him down into the abyss, but alas, something else awaited him there.

They rid him of the blindfold and the gag, but the shackles remained in place. He saw a dark room – the thick curtains in front of the windows kept most of the light outside. There was a large, fluffy bed in the middle, but otherwise, the room was sparsely furnished.

He heard a faint voice. Maybe only his mind was playing tricks on him, but it sounded like his name.

"Kee," he heard it again. "Kíli…"

A person was lying in that bed, and definitely kept repeating his name.

He was confused.

He made a step toward the bed, and since the elves didn't stop him, he continued, step by step, slowly closing the distance between himself and the mysterious person.

"Kíli," he heard the faint voice calling him again, "please!"

He knew that voice, and he recognized that unmistakable red hair spread out on the pillow.

"Tauriel?"

He reached out slowly with his hands. The bed was too wide – her face in the middle of the pillows too far; his bindings only allowed him to touch her hair without awkwardly falling on her.

What happened to her? Why was she lying here so lifeless?

"She's sick," Legolas answered as if reading his mind. "Father wouldn't give her nurses. She's calling for you constantly, and since you are here, at least I can grant her wish."

Kíli looked at him suspiciously.

"You're going to take care of her," Legolas announced.

"But I'm not a nurse!" Kíli protested weakly. He'd imagined a thousand ways how their first meeting would go, but her being practically unconscious was not one of them. "I know nothing about healing!"

"She doesn't need a healer," Legolas said darkly. "She needs someone to help her through."

Only the fury radiating from him confused Kíli more than these words.

"Through what?" he asked.

"Through the end," Legolas said cryptically.

* * *

As business was slow today, Fíli decided to have the afternoon for himself after Ori left. He'd found an old tome about swordsmanship, and he wanted to try some of the tricks described in it. At times like this, he fiercely missed his brother, but who knows where Kíli was by now and what he was up to. (Probably nothing good.) He would have been the perfect training partner, but since Fíli didn't want to go down to the crowded training yard, he asked Ronen to help him out.

They stayed in Dís' chambers; there was enough space to practice the new moves. Ronen hesitantly joined him as they studied the pictures. He seemed eager to learn, but despite his rising enthusiasm, he couldn't forget his duty, which annoyed the young king greatly.

"How am I supposed to learn this defense if you're not willing to attack me?!"

"My job is to protect you, Sire," Ronen answered stoically.

Fíli had enough.

"Your job is stupid then," he declared. Not able to channel his frustration into anything else, he surprised Ronen with a forceful attack. Ronen had too little battle experience to use dirty moves, but he adeptly fended him off, performing the newly learned tricks just as skillfully as Fíli.

"You're very good with a sword," Fíli complimented him, when he worked off his anger, "but you're a horrid training partner. I pray for the day when you can get over this insane submission," he sighed, dismissing him.

He decided to test the services of the new baths: a massage and a tub of hot water would do wonders for his body, and as it was close to dinnertime, the baths would be empty. As the King and member of the Company, he was entitled to get anything, anytime, in the most comfortable environment.

"A moment, Your Majesty!"

Fíli heard the cry of the dwarf at the entrance of the Company's private massage room, but ignored it. Any business could wait until tomorrow – the dwarf would've relayed the message regardless of his hurry if it was so important. He threw the door wide open, and entered.

Pleasant lavender scent permeated the air, and Fíli inhaled deeply. He already felt the calming effect of the place. He looked around to find a masseur, glancing at the candles lit at the other end of the room, but he couldn't see anyone at the desk. Surely they wouldn't leave the fires unattended! But instead of a professional, the only person in the room was a client, lying on a massage table.

Oh. Perhaps that's what the dwarf at the entrance tried to warn him of.

Nonetheless, he strode into the room. He didn't recognize the bundle of hair at first sight, but as it was a private wing, he thought his intrusion was forgivable. Everyone here would be practically family to him.

"Hello," he called out.

"Oh, hello you," she said, raising her head and turning toward him.

"Hi," he said awkwardly, facing the cartographer. She was lying on her stomach, her arms folded under her head. Apart from a towel covering her bum, she was naked, and completely uninterested in his presence, judging by her relaxed state and closed eyes. "Can I… May I…"

She lazily opened exactly one eye, to see if he was able to finish the sentence, and it made Fíli feel even more stupid. He rarely stumbled over his words. He occupied himself with hanging up his coat.

"I see you aren't wasting your privileges," he commented casually. "May I stay?"

"Sure, I don't mind company."

"I'm going to find myself a masseur," he announced.

"Do that."

Fíli rang the bell to alert the workers to his presence, and soon, he was naked too, his muscles getting the well-deserved attention. Right after his massage started, another dwarrowdam arrived, and consulted with the cartographer about what she required. Fíli didn't hear everything, but it seemed the cartographer had very specific ideas about what she wanted. Finally, they agreed on the details of the treatment, and Fíli sneaked glances at her as she lied there completely at ease.

The dwarrowdam eventually finished working on her, spreading a scented salve on her back, and left the room.

"What's that?" he asked the cartographer, when his masseur went to clean up too.

"Oh? Just some herbs. My skin gets dry, since I'm constantly soaking in the river nowadays."

Fíli's gaze lingered on her form. The salve glistened on her smooth skin, and he admired her toned shoulders, as her arms were tucked under her head. Her torso was left bare, her breast slightly exposed from the side. _Her skin must be soft with such care,_ he thought.

"Smells nice," he commented.

"It's for special days."

That made Fíli curious. "What's so special about today?"

"I made a new friend." She sounded bored, as if it was the opposite of special. This confused Fíli, but he already knew that she wasn't very talkative, so he reluctantly decided to leave her alone.

"I'm taking a bath," he said, climbing down from the massage table.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you," she commented, again only opening one eye.

"Why?"

"Let the oil do its job." Fíli must have looked as dumbfounded as he felt, because she elaborated: "The massage oil helps your muscles to relax. Let your skin drink up as much of it as possible, it's going to be more effective," she explained. "Just lie back and relax. It's a nice place, soothing for your weary nerves, lulling you into peace…"

He had no idea if she was still giving advice to him or talking about herself, but he did as she said. He turned his face in her direction. She closed her eyes again, which allowed him to observe her in secret. She looked so serene, her usually blank expression softened and he discovered a small smile in the corner of her lips. Her indifference lent her an air of mystery, but also gave him a sense of freedom. He literally felt as his body stopped resisting, and finally relaxed…

…but not soon enough. She raised her head, and looked at him sternly.

"Can't you stop this fidgeting? Some of us are trying to relax here!"

"Sorry."

"If you cannot calm your mind, then there is no point staying here."

"Sorry, it's a bit difficult. You know, some of us here have a lot on their mind," he answered sarcastically.

She shrugged. "Well then, feel free to go crazy somewhere else."

She lied back, turning her face away this time, ignoring Fíli, who quietly sulked, but stayed.

"Why cartographer?" he asked after a while.

The dwarrowdam looked up, her lips forming a thin line in annoyance.

"It's my profession. It means 'someone who makes maps', for your information."

"I know what that means," Fíli answered, regretting to have spoken. "But why cartographer? Why not mapper, or mapmaker?"

She drew her brows together, as if wondering whether Fíli had already gone mad, but she decided to humor him.

"Cartographer sounds more elegant, don't you think?"

"It certainly does," Fíli agreed. "It suits you. Your work is very elegant."

"Oh, thanks," she said, shrugging off the compliment, but studying Fíli with new interest. Fíli took it as a permission to continue talking.

"Why did you choose it as your profession? It's a bit unusual, especially for a dwarrowdam."

"I didn't choose it," she stated, as if it should be obvious. "It chose me. When you go off wandering, you need to know the lands, and in time, I discovered that people were willing to pay very large sums for my knowledge."

"And are we paying you enough?" he asked jokingly.

"Dís is very generous," she smirked.

"How did you two meet?" he asked, truly interested in the story. Amad liked to skip over the details of their journey to Erebor, so he stopped asking.

"The usual way," she said flatly, clearly not willing to disclose more than Dís. "By being at the same place at the same time."

Fíli snorted, and chose to remain silent.

"Are you finished with the interrogation for tonight, King?"

"Am I getting any answers if I continue?"

"If you ask the right questions, then yes."

"Help me out here!" He turned to his side, leaning on his elbow. He noticed her gaze sliding to his chest for a moment, but he chose not to mention it. He didn't want to risk losing her attention now, so he settled for merely knowing that she wasn't made of stone.

She told him about the waterfall she was measuring. She said she had promising results, and she would make some suggestions in the near future. Fíli was looking forward to it. She started a story about the first time she'd seen a water mill, and how they should rework it for their purposes. Fíli was pleased to hear that she was talking to architects and miners about her plans. It seemed she found her way among people just as easily as through the caves or across the lands. Her voice became more animated as time passed, and she let out a small chuckle when he offered a relevant story from his past.

She appeared interested, when he told her how he spent the afternoon. Ronen's unfailing obedience disturbed him greatly, and the cartographer showed understanding in this regard.

"Why don't you find another training partner then?" she asked. "You're King, many would appreciate the honor of spending time with you."

Fíli snorted. "Yes, how wonderful it would be to train with dozens of mindless Ronens! Who do you think would stand up to me and fight back?"

The cartographer thought about it a little.

"You miss your brother, don't you?"

Fíli glared at her suspiciously.

"Your mother is worrying a lot about him."

Fíli sighed. He hadn't explained the whole story to her yet, and he preferred to keep it that way. Amad wouldn't happily approve of Tauriel, but there were details she would disapprove even more.

"I worry too," he admitted, continuing with the line he repeated to himself over and over: "but I couldn't do more for him. He's going to come back, we only have to wait it out."

"And until then, you're stuck with living and breathing dummies to practice on."

"Yeah." He liked her description. "Dummies. I can just skip asking anyone, and put up dummies in my rooms when I don't want to face the crowd."

"Exactly. You can be the king of your rooms," she deadpanned.

Her statement shocked Fíli into silence, but she eased the mood with a smile.

"You complain awfully lot for a king," she said. Fíli had a tendency to take offense when someone pointed out his faults, but in this moment, the sting didn't come. Her voice contained no traces of malice, and they were alone and naked… when else to admit shameful truths?

"Yes, I know," he confessed, shifting his position, so now he was lying on his back, looking at the ceiling instead of her. "I shouldn't, because I have a good life… but lately, no one reminds me of that. Dwalin, who usually calls me out on it, is hard to find; I think he only seeks me out when he's had enough of the dwarrowdams. Not that I blame him, but… I'm complaining again, aren't I?"

"Yes," she nodded. After a small pause, she added: "You know he's fucking Liv, right?"

No, Fíli didn't know, and immediately sat up, turning back to her for more gossip. Memories were lining up where the two were talking to each other or mysteriously appeared at the same place in the same moment. He thought Dwalin tried to avoid her, as Fíli would have done, yet, there were signs. Uncharacteristically, Dwalin even made comments about her – he rarely voiced his opinion on women, so that should've tipped him off. Of course, he pretended to know at least the basics, but the cartographer was harder to fool.

"Oh, no, you haven't heard it from me!"

"Of course not!" Fíli reassured her. "How did you know?"

A smug expression spread across her face.

"I see and hear a lot! A lot more than I would like to," she added, her smirk turning into a grimace. "I see couples at the strangest of places, not to mention the acoustics and that the water carries sound rather well. I'm going out on a limb, but I think I know more about the romantic life of dwarves under this mountain, than anyone else, and believe me, most of it is _not_ pretty! I like Dwalin and Liv, they are among the nicer ones. And Mahal, how I envy her! That fellow sure knows what he's doing! I heard them once or twice," she whispered, her eyes twinkling with mischief – and a little bit of genuine longing.

"Yeah, he's like that," Fíli smirked. "He taught me well!" he added proudly, winking at her.

"Is this an offer, Your Majesty?"

It started out as a joke, but Fíli's confidence swiftly crumbled under her weird, questioning look. He felt a blush creeping up on his neck, and this embarrassing realization only sped up the process.

"What if it is?" he retorted with clear hostility. She raised her eyebrows, her liveliness gone. Fíli wanted to take back his words right away, but his guilt wouldn't be eased now. "No. Maybe," he continued, completely losing his certainty. She was still staring without blinking, and he started to realize that she was probably laughing at him in her head. "Don't look at me like that!" he finished childishly.

She lowered her head back to her arms, smiling with satisfaction. Fíli looked up to the ceiling, his mind trying to catch up with the conversation he'd just had with her. Begrudgingly, he had to admit that he enjoyed it; while he hated to get embarrassed, no one apart from her witnessed it. He felt stimulated. She also knew that he was a 'whiny whelp' (by Dwalin's words), yet she hadn't run away screaming. (Though their nakedness might have played a part in that.)

Eventually, she began patting her back to see if the salve had dried.

"Turn away," she commanded him.

"Why? Is it forbidden to look?" he teased her. She rewarded it with her trademark glare.

"No, only impolite. Dís always boasts about how well-mannered you are compared to other guys, so give me the courtesy of turning away while I get a robe."

Fíli obeyed without further argument. He heard her shuffling movements, then with a quiet squeak of a door, she was gone. He sat up, pondering what caused her sudden hurry, and went to fill a bathtub for himself.

He planned to soak in the hot water for at least half an hour, but he barely relaxed into the tub when he heard a ruckus from outside. Dwarves were shouting, and someone started banging on his door.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Fire! Dragon!"

Fíli froze. He jumped out of the water, drying himself and putting on his clothes in haste. He rushed to the door and tore it open.

"What happened?" He couldn't keep the panic out of his voice.

"The mountain is burning! They say a dragon…" The dwarf couldn't continue, he was panting and shaking in fear. Fíli didn't blame him.

"Did anyone see it? Where's it coming from?"

It was impossible. It should be impossible, but his people wouldn't spread such news without a reason.

From behind another door, the cartographer's head appeared. She looked just as stunned as Fíli, and focused on the messenger.

"The mountainside is burning," Ronen provided the information. "Western side. Troops are gathered, and will be ready for an attack when you arrive."

"Good. What about the dragon? Have you seen it? How large it is?"

The messenger hummed uncertainly. "I haven't seen it myself, but I've seen the flames, they are huge." Fíli grunted in anger, and the guard hurried to placate him. "What else could it be?"

* * *

 **A/N:** Dun dun dun! A DRAGON! Or is it?

Poor King Fíli, can't catch a break! At least he met with the cartographer again, Kíli got out of jail, and also learnt _where_ is Tauriel. Not that he's happy with the result.

So, was it a good chapter? Was it bad? I won't know if you won't tell!

.

 **to Emrfangirl:** Thanks for the review! Yes, she does have a name :) Fíli still doesn't know it, but I wanted the readers to know, so I'm not the only one laughing at Fíli's awkwardness around her.


	12. Fight Fire with Fire

**Fight Fire with Fire**

By the time Fíli reached his gathered army, the warriors were indeed standing in line, waiting for orders. He quickly climbed the steps up to the lookout, from where he could see the western slopes.

"Mahal save us, it's true!" he whispered. He saw fire everywhere, but caught no sight of the dragon in the light of the setting sun. Still, what else could cause these giant flames on such a barren wasteland?

He found Dwalin and Thorin, who were inspecting and directing the groups. Probably they've already come up with a strategy.

He joined them while putting on his armor, and soon, a small part of the army was marching out of the mountain, while other teams took up a defensive position inside.

They spread out into long lines on the slopes to find the easily defensible spots and to ensure a route for the possible evacuation of the mountain.

Dwalin approached.

"I see no dragon," he said.

"That doesn't mean there isn't one!" Thorin came up to them too, gritting his teeth. He was beyond furious, and as Fíli was on the verge of panic, he decided not to contradict him. If there was truly a dragon, it may as well be that he'll need to rely on Thorin's experience. In this moment, there was no trace of the eternally discontent young king of a prosperous mountain – Fíli was ready to bend his knee before his uncle's greater experience in such a dire situation.

Thorin ignored him, and started up an argument with Dwalin about the best way to check out the lands ahead. They quickly fell back to their routine despite their recent distance; decades of comradeship in a hard life wouldn't be erased by so little. Dwalin made his point about sending single scouts, while Thorin (who had difficulties with managing through the wilderness alone) suggested sending groups of three or four. Their confidence gave Fíli hope that they will get through the night somehow, but while he watched them in awe, he completely missed what they said until they were both looking at him.

He shook his head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, I missed that."

Thorin – never one to hide his displeasure – growled. Dwalin, fortunately, was more helpful:

"Single scouts or groups, Your Majesty?"

Fíli felt his heart drop. Dwalin rarely used his title, and the graveness of the situation started to sink in. He'll have to make the decisions and lead his people, whatever happens – Thorin's presence may be calming his emotions, but everyone would be looking at _him_ , to the King of Erebor for guidance first. Naturally, if they sensed his hesitance, they would eventually turn to Thorin, but that delay could be vital.

He shook his head again.

"Single scouts. You choose who to send," he answered Dwalin, trying to swallow the lump in his throat.

He wasn't allowed to panic yet.

He heard Thorin's less than happy reaction to losing this argument, but ignored it.

He looked at the warriors. Only a few dozen stood here, while the rest stayed behind obediently waiting for his word… He hadn't quite understood before what it meant to be responsible for so many lives, he realized. Seeing a hundred dwarves, ready to follow him even into death, humbled him. Of course, he knew that he was responsible for them, and he knew the exact number of Erebor's current population too, but actually seeing their faces – it frightened him.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. He thought that maybe Dwalin came back, but no: to his astonishment, he was facing Thorin. He looked weary and his face spoke of his long buried memories breaking to the surface, but his eyes shone with understanding. Would it be another day, Fíli would feel confused by his uncle's constant change of mood, but in this moment, he was inclined to draw strength from every morsel of sympathy, should it come even from the unlikeliest of places.

No words were needed between the two of them, but Thorin's gesture hardened his resolve to see it through.

Dwalin returned with four dwarves – more exactly, three dwarves and a dwarrowdam: the cartographer.

"What is she doing here?" Fíli asked, taken aback.

"You took her here," Dwalin said. It was partly true: she followed Fíli from the baths, but Fíli thought she stayed behind in the relative safety of the mountain. "Trust me, she's a better scout than anyone here."

Fíli nodded: he had no doubt about that. She wasn't a trained warrior – in fact, she had little talent with a weapon larger than a hunting knife –, but he trusted her skills.

"Your Majesty! King Fíli!" Different voices shouted and Fíli noticed a large messenger horse arriving from that direction. The rider – Nori – jumped down when he saw the king and his entourage, cushioning the impact by rolling away. He let the fast horse to run forth, until it was able to slow to a stop without injury, and stood up.

Nori looked around, curious. "I guess you've seen the fire," he said conversationally. "Don't worry, the elves are burning the lands. There's no need for such a parade, it will burn all night."

"Oh?" Fíli asked, frowning, not quite able to decide if it was a bad joke or… "What?!"

Nori shuffled his feet, a little self-conscious in front of so many armed dwarves.

"The elves are burning the lands. Purging the dragon's breath is a part of the revival process." He leaned closer, and whispered the rest so only Fíli could hear: "They are doing magic!"

Fíli searched his face for signs of dishonesty, but Nori looked truthful, even excited. Fíli furrowed his brows.

"Magic?" he whispered. Nori nodded fervently, and Fíli expressed his opinion with a rather obscene Khuzdul sentence.

"Everybody," he called out, a cold shiver running along his spine. "Stand down!"

Conversation began immediately after the command, and Fíli turned back to Nori.

"Explain," he demanded.

"There's nothing to explain. You've sent me to spy on them, that's what I saw today. They spent the last days with dispersing some kind of powder on the lands. Magic powder, if you ask me," he added on a lower voice, his eyes rounding in excitement. "When they finished, they lit the ground with a simple torch. _Magic,_ I'm telling you!"

"Are you sure? Did you see it with your own eyes? Clearly?"

Nori nodded, hurt by the distrust. "What's the interrogation for?"

"Dragon," growled Dwalin from behind Fíli. "Some idiot reported a dragon."

Fíli pressed his lips into a tight line: his fear turned into an intense thirst for vengeance – he was ready to kill the culprit.

Nori smirked; he seemed to find humor in the situation. "And here I wondered what I've done to deserve such a welcome!"

Fíli decided to ignore him and turned back to his army. He wondered if Amad had seen the magic powder; he would keep Nori on the case in secret and reward him if he continued to be so useful.

"Attention!" Dwalin bellowed, and every single dwarf immediately stood up straight, every conversation paused for the moment.

"There is no dragon," Fíli announced. He raised his hand to silence the outrage. "The fire is harmless. I want one squad with me," he said to one of the captains, who stood nearby, "everyone else, go back to the mountain, and ensure the peace. There shall be no panic, no rioting. Call back the teams stationing inside the mountain. Tell the soldiers that it was a false alarm. If anyone else asks, tell them the same, otherwise, say nothing. If you find anyone spreading news about a dragon, arrest them immediately. You're dismissed."

"Halt!" Dwalin spoke up. "Which goat-fucking moron started up the rumor?!"

He was beyond livid. Whoever came up with the idea – be it an intentional lie or an honest mistake – will not get away with it.

The dwarves considered his question. The lines went into disarray as they began sizing up each other distrustfully, trying to find out who was stupid enough to make up such horrid tales. Fíli planned to make a detour to Dale, to see Bard and the elves and have a few choice words with them; not wanting to spend the whole night there, he put off the investigation for now.

"We'll find an answer to this question later," he said to Dwalin. "We need to go down to the valley," he finished darkly.

Dwalin grudgingly obeyed, dismissing the army.

"Elves!" Thorin spat. He didn't say more, but his angry scowl spoke loud enough. Fíli kept him away from the elves so far, but his unforgiving countenance would forward their cause quite effectively now.

"Elves," Fíli said, allowing Thorin with a nod to vent his anger for a short while. He paid little attention to his actual words, that's how he noticed the cartographer tugging on Dwalin's sleeve. She must have stayed behind from the group of scouts, but Fíli wasn't about to let her to stay and stare any longer.

Dwalin was of the same opinion.

"Why are you still here?" he barked at her.

She remained unfazed. "Just a quick advice, calm down a little before speaking to the elves."

"What?" Dwalin asked dumbfounded.

"I've met with elves before. You can scowl and look as displeased as you want, but you should talk to them politely. Chide them with careful words, containing more guidance than reproach. Like when you're explaining something to a child."

Dwalin laughed out loud.

"Lass, that's the most ridiculous advice I've ever heard and believe me, I've met countless lunatics with fanciful illusions clouding their mind!"

The cartographer crossed her arms on her chest.

"Fine, if you want to give them a good laugh to go with their evening wine, I'm not going to stop you!"

She turned to leave, but Fíli called after her.

"You know, I know how to scold someone properly!"

The cartographer stopped, and glared at Fíli, not at all impressed by his condescending tone.

"Scold? I bet! Go then, swear and rage, let your wrath run wild for them see how easily you lose your temper! Let these centuries old, stoic, immortal beings see how childish and undisciplined you all are!"

"That's not what I was going to do," Fíli said haughtily, hoping to disguise the fact that her assessment was indeed very close to his actual plans.

"Good!" she spat, but her mind finally registered what he said. "Good," she continued calmly, "I apologize for doubting you, Sire."

Fíli found this deferential tone and the awkward curtsey she performed very odd.

"Thank you for your concern," he said, nodding to her.

They got on ponies and started their way on the road down to Dale. Halfway to the city, Dís' messenger found them too, to warn them of the fire. He'll need to thank her profusely and make the elves understand that her presence there was to their benefit too. Fíli wondered if she would be willing to stay in Dale and oversee the rest of the process in his name, before something like this happened again.

* * *

Raya spent most of her days brooding. She knew she made a promise to get out and socialize, but apart from allowing Kasia to drag her into company from time to time, she made little effort to get over her trauma – both the abduction and her grief.

She kept telling herself that the shock was too fresh and in time, it will disappear, but honestly? It's been a month now, and she had no idea how it should work out.

One morning, Lady Dís and a maid knocked on her door, and insisted on taking her to Dale. She went obediently, not even questioning why her presence was needed, but Lady Dís told her anyways.

"Sigrid invited you; she wants to get to know you better. Apparently, you made a good impression on your last visit to Dale."

Thus, while Lady Dís went to check on the elves with King Bard, Raya spent the day in Sigrid's company.

The day turned out better than she expected. Sigrid was sympathetic, and told her about the sorrowful time after losing her own mother. Her reassurance elevated Raya's mood, and soon, their conversation took a more pleasant turn. She showed her around the city, and entertained her with tales about the elves. During the afternoon, they ran into Haldír, who looked annoyed. He wouldn't complain, but Sigrid had already made fun of him prior to their accidental meeting.

"The elves are really very nice, mostly, but Haldír… Truth be told, he's useless here. All of the others have a profession relevant to the work on the fields, but him? He's a fighter and a traveler, and Da says he's itching for a good brawl. Da leaves the elves do as they please on the lands, but Haldír was harassing them with questions. In a few days, his own company found him too bothersome, so they sent him to 'build diplomatic relationship' with us. He's following Da around since then. We thought that elves are so stoic and level-headed, but you know what? That's an utterly ridiculous concept. Da tried to send him to have a look around the market alone, where he managed to offend all of our smiths, and the best baker in town now refuses to sell his goods to elves. We tried to trick him into selling to one of our servants, but the baker learnt who really ate the bread, and now he refuses to sell to our whole household until they leave the city."

Raya giggled. "What did he say to him?"

"Oh, we're not sure, but I guess he said something about 'fine elven tastes', and the baker must have took offense. I'm not sure it was intended as a slight, but as he's so idle, he's always blabbering about how wonderful his home is, and many feel… inferior. Da also sent him to train with our guards, but clearly, he demonstrated his skill a little too well as no one wants to spar with him anymore. It can be a little boring if you always lose, don't you think?"

Raya laughed again.

"Da is very grateful for Dís' presence today. He hopes that Haldír will feel more at ease if he's not alone with his cluelessness."

"That's not going to happen," Raya stated. "Lady Dís was sent to observe because she understands what's going on. She grew herbs for decades in Ered Luin," Raya repeated the information the Lady shared on the way here.

"She did? Poor Haldír. Even a dwarf knows more about such an elven subject than him. And poor Da, he'll be beside himself when he realizes that his plan went so awry!"

Sigrid didn't look too sorry; but when they ran into Haldír, they took pity on him.

He tried to impress them with tales of his home and his travels, and in Raya, he finally found the perfect audience. Sigrid relaxed too, and winked at Raya, forming the words 'thank you' behind Haldír's back. Raya didn't mind; she found his tales interesting, and (probably out of boredom) he helped her practice Sindarin.

They were walking on the city walls admiring the view of the Lonely Mountain, that's how they noticed the burning fields. Sigrid immediately alerted the guards, but they'd already got relevant instructions.

"It seems Da took care of it," said Sigrid, pursing her lips. "I wish he'd told me about it beforehand!"

Haldír was quite put out. It seemed he was caught unaware, too. "What's that?" he asked, pointing to the slopes of Erebor. As neither men, nor dwarves were as sharp-sighted as elves, his companions had no idea what he was talking about. "It seems the dwarves are leaving the mountain. Are those soldiers?"

The girls had no idea.

"I think they are," Haldír said worriedly. "Are we under attack?"

He left the girls behind with his long strides, but they followed him to the place where the elves, Bard and Dís gathered. Dís and Haldír looked livid. The elves looked as serene as always, but Bard was nervously scratching his beard.

"What happened?" Sigrid asked. Raya was surprised to hear her speak with such authority so suddenly, and felt completely out of place – she was sure she wouldn't be able to deal with the problem, had she known what it was.

"The fire…"

"We should have known about the fire!" Dís snapped. Despite being the shortest in the group, everyone seemed to shrink when she spoke. She put her fisted hands on her hips, and went on to berating everyone involved in the scheme.

"You mindless fools! You have no idea what's happening under your supervision! How will your men use these lands if they don't learn the tricks now?" She turned from Bard to Haldír. "Not to mention your disgraceful ignorance! You say you can't comprehend what your people are doing here. Why are you even here? Can't you find a useful way to spend your days? You all," she continued, talking to every elf now, "are so proud of your centuries-old knowledge, but please help me out here: how is it of any use if paired with mindless disregard for your immediate environment?"

The elves winced, one of them even opening his mouth to protest or explain himself, but Dís wouldn't let anyone interrupt her.

"It's called _fire_ in the Common Language, for Mahal's sake, not 'purging dragon-breath'! I'm quite interested to learn your Lady's opinion about such thoughtlessness."

They heard the sound of hooves – dwarves of Erebor, led by the King arrived. Dís hurried to greet her son and discern his intentions.

Haldír turned to his elven companions, and barked out a sentence; they all seemed to agree.

Meanwhile, the King of Erebor and his entourage got off their horses. Fíli listened to his mother's report with rapt attention, and answered her in a few words. They didn't hear what they said, but they all heard as Dís cried out in horror. The dwarves all wore matching scowls, except for the King, who came forward to speak. The rest of his entourage came closer, but lingered in the background, looking ready for battle. The elves radiated hostility too.

"It seems we were too hasty to assume our collaboration can go without a hitch," Fíli said. He always acted in a calm and collected manner – Raya already admired this about him, but to keep his temper while everyone else was nearly losing theirs was even more impressive. "Let's talk. King Bard, may we perhaps invite ourselves for dinner?"

Bard readily agreed, but one of the elves spoke up.

"We cannot leave the fire unattended."

The corner of Fíli's mouth twitched, but he gave no more reaction.

"Perhaps we shall have a meal here, can that be arranged?" he turned to Bard and Sigrid. "Ours was quite rudely interrupted by a false alarm, reporting a dragon burning our lands."

The elves shuffled uncomfortably. Fíli drew his eyebrows together to show his displeasure, but his expression and countenance was still far from menacing.

Sigrid grabbed Raya's elbow, and led her away from the gathering. Raya wondered if she needed help with the dinner, but as it turned out, she was merely curious. She'd seen as the dwarrowdam wrinkled her forehead in concentration, trying to make out what the Sindarin words meant a short while ago, but she couldn't ask near the elves because of their sensitive hearing.

"What did Haldír say? You understood, didn't you?"

Raya nodded, a little self-conscious at the first test of her new knowledge.

"I'm not sure, because…"

"Oh, quit it! What did he say?"

"That Lady Dís can't meet their queen, I think."

Sigrid let out a tingling laugh.

"It's brilliant!"

Raya smiled too, pleased with her revelation. She could see now why Fíli was so adamant about her studies!

The girls made the way to the nearest station of guards, and Sigrid sent a messenger with a list of what she wanted delivered.

"There's no way I'm missing that conversation," she confessed to Raya, "I just wanted to hear what _you_ know."

Fortunately, they didn't miss out on anything, as the dwarves only saw to their horses, and the elves checked the fire. Fíli was quietly talking to Dís and Bard, his rigid posture radiating anger, and greeted the girls with a forced smile.

"Dinner is here soon," Sigrid announced.

"How soon?" Dwalin growled. "I can just catch rabbit and have it cooked over that fire, at least it would have some use then," he said, waving in the elves' direction.

"It's quite useful, Dwarf," an elf replied.

Dwalin snorted, but when Thorin stepped forward to make a similar comment, Fíli interrupted.

"I think we all should settle down."

He took off his coat and set it to the ground, offering his mother a place to sit. Bard and Dwalin did the same for Sigrid and Raya. No one else moved, not keen on placing themselves in such a vulnerable position in front of the enemy. Fíli let out an annoyed low growl.

"Please, take a seat," he called out with overt politeness through gritted teeth, while sitting down on the right side of his mother, stretching his legs forward comfortably.

The dwarves and Bard obeyed, Haldír indicating to the elves to follow their example.

"Now, that we are so cozy around the largest bonfire I've ever seen, let me start a conversation about what really happened here."

No one spoke up, but he continued anyway.

"We need to communicate better," he declared. There was uncomfortable fidgeting everywhere: they couldn't decide if it was a sarcastic comment about their lack of reaction, or a true assessment of the situation. The food arrived, and Dís swiftly put together a full plate for his son. They passed the food along, while Fíli continued to speak.

"You barely avoided facing the full force of Erebor's army." Some of the elves gasped: not all of them were warriors. "'What saved the day?' you may ask. 'A mere coincidence' is the right answer, because Lady Dís has decided to visit today of all days. It was her understanding of your work and her quick thinking. Otherwise, I'm not sure when we would've received a warning."

Everyone watched Dís' reactions to the praise instead of acknowledging the reprimand, but she wore a stoic mask on her face, firmly supporting every word her son said.

"Did you really think it was a good idea to burn up the lands around our homes, where not two years ago a _fire-breathing_ dragon dwelled, without warning us first?"

Raya too gasped now: she forgot about this aspect. She looked at Sigrid next to her; she was watching Fíli in awe, slightly shaking her head as if answering his question.

"We didn't think…" an elf started, but Fíli interrupted with calculated timing.

"Exactly! You didn't think. I understand, really – you come from a different realm, dragons, danger and nervous neighbors are generally far from your mind. You were only doing your job. That's why we need to talk more. Perhaps it was foolish to let you out of my sight, out of Erebor. You are my guests, after all! I should grant you all the guidance and assistance you need."

Some of the dwarves started coughing after this statement and Raya believed to hear hidden Khuzdul swear words. The elves looked scared at the prospect of returning to the dark, subterranean halls and corridors, and Sigrid spoke up, clearly insulted.

"We can take care of their comfort and safety just as well!"

"Thank you, Sigrid," Fíli said, his intonation more fitting for chiding an overexuberant schoolgirl than the Princess of a neighboring realm. He turned back to the elves immediately. "Now, please, tell me about your work. In detail."

The elves were reluctant to talk, but Haldír said a few Sindarin words on a clipped tone. By the time they cleared away all of the food, everyone felt like they knew more about agriculture than they ever wanted to – even if dwarves ate really fast. Fíli was still asking questions about how many of them worked at the same time on particular tasks, which action took up how much time, and what each task entailed. Raya wondered how he was able to follow their explanations when everyone else had lost interest. Except for Sigrid, perhaps, because she was studying Fíli intensely – she barely blinked. Her facial expression was in a constant change: she wrinkled her forehead, raised her eyebrows, smirked or pouted as the conversation flowed.

"He only wants to see them grovel," Sigrid concluded, whispering to Raya. "He's asserting his dominance. I bet he doesn't understand a word of what they say."

Raya found it difficult to believe: Fíli came up with questions so quickly and effortlessly! He was amazing.

"So you need to fight fire with fire," Fíli summarized looking at the flames that didn't seem to cease at all. "I want the main points of the process written down by tomorrow in simple terms. I also want a daily report. I want to see if the previous day was successful, and I also want to know the plans for the next day. Send someone up every day."

The elves nodded and Fíli stood, but no one else moved.

"I respect your work, but you should respect mine too. Your thoughtlessness caused a considerable disruption in our daily life," he said sternly, looking each and every elf in the eye. "Maybe you find me too inquisitive, but communication is essential if we want to build a good relationship between our realms. As we clearly lack the foundation for that, we need to start from the basics."

Fíli looked around: no one dared to question him.

"For example, dwarves usually send a message if they want to invite someone for dinner." He paused, taking in the perplexed faces around him. "Next time you want to invite me for dinner, send a messenger. You don't need to burn down my Mountain to lure me out."

Dwarves laughed uproariously at the expense of the elves. Raya allowed herself to smile too. The elves were too stunned to take offense.

"I want the report by noon, tomorrow."

The elves and Bard assured him that it would happen. Fíli helped up his mother, and Raya got up too. She looked around for Dwalin to give him back his coat, and she found him standing right behind her.

"Come, we're taking you home," he said.

"But I was supposed to stay in Dale with Lady Dís," she answered, and immediately blushed. She shouldn't argue, he probably knew better than her what to do, but she had such a good time!

"You can come back another time, but Dís is needed in Erebor tonight."

* * *

 **A/N:** Fortunately, it was just a misunderstanding. Phew. What an emotional turmoil for Fíli: panic, anger, but he managed to calm down not to ruin everything he's working for. He did well, didn't he?

But not everyone is happy with him right now. Let's see it on Monday in the next chapter!

Thanks for the reviews! Send me more!

 **to Emrfangirl:** I'm glad you liked the chapter! And the cartographer too. She's going to appear more, I promise! Unfortunately, Kíli and Tauriel won't make an appearance for a while, but Kíli will do everything in his power!


	13. Stand By Me

**Stand By Me**

Thorin stalked into Fíli's private chambers with the long, deliberate strides he was known for during his ruling days. The young king quietly seethed, seeing the utter disregard for his privacy despite the difference in their ranks. Clearly, Thorin saw himself superior in this situation, and after arriving at the corridors where the Company took up residence, he shed every pretense of obedience or respect toward his nephew.

Thorin threw open the door, and Fíli had to be quick to catch it with his hands before it swung back and hit him in the face. He gritted his teeth: Thorin was already pacing in _his_ study, as if he owned the place. He stepped into the chamber, trying to control his facial muscles, but they refused to drop the scowl he wore. He heard someone else following him inside, but didn't care enough to look. His glare was fixed on Thorin – who stopped abruptly, pointing one finger at him.

"You foolish, conceited child!"

Thorin's thunderous words echoed in the spacious room, and Fíli had to consciously repress the urge to duck. His uncle's superiority was deeply instilled in both sons of Dís, and though Thorin hasn't exerted his authority in such a clear manner since before the Quest, Fíli was immediately reverted back to his childhood, where their playfulness often disturbed Thorin's rest.

Now – he wasn't a dwarfling anymore.

He was the King under the Mountain, and despite emotionally submitting to his uncle, his mind said he shouldn't tolerate such insults.

He wasn't foolish. He was going to bring prosperity in the city under the Lonely Mountain.

He was doing what Thorin couldn't be bothered with, and now was not the time for him to go back on his words.

"You… You…" Thorin struggled with his ire: he rarely lost his ability to find the proper words to express his fury or discontentment.

"Please, elaborate, what, or who am I?" Fíli asked through his still gritted teeth. His voice came out as a low hiss, and he felt his hands curling into fists.

"A puffed up little boy, shaking in fear like a mouse in the face of conflict! You pretend to be almighty with your smug posturing, but you know nothing of the world!" he spat. "I've told you this already, but will you ever listen? Your arrogance knows no bounds!"

"It seems deaf ears are a family trait, don't you think, Uncle?" he snarled, remembering his many futile attempts at explaining himself in the face of his disapproval.

"How dare you! Groveling to elves? Really? Your short-sighted naïve ideas brought danger to our doors!"

At this, Fíli laughed, his hands relaxed. He quickly caught himself though: while he managed to calm down on the route to Dale before speaking to the elves, their explanation further clearing the panic out of his mind, Thorin did no such thing. Probably, from the moment he'd heard the word 'elves' in relation to the cause of the alarm, he shut his ears and nursed his wrath to let it explode when they got away from the public eye.

Thorin crossed the distance between them and towered over Fíli threateningly, growling, which immediately sobered up the young king.

"What danger?" he asked coolly, crossing his arms on his chest.

Suddenly, a sword appeared between them, the flat of its blade pressed to Thorin's chest.

Fíli and Thorin both looked at the sword, confused.

"Stand back, My Lord!"

It seemed Ronen, Fíli's ever stoic guard was quite unimpressed by Thorin's show. Fíli let out a breath; he was grateful for Ronen's steadfast loyalty, but it wasn't a situation where he should've butted in. Still, his intrusion distracted Thorin enough to forget where he was in the process of reprimanding his nephew. He didn't back off, though, until Ronen patted him with the blade to show his seriousness.

"What in the bloody Mordor are you doing here?" Thorin scoffed, fascination coloring his features.

"My job, My Lord. Stand back, and recall that it's your King you're speaking to."

Fíli raised his eyebrows for a moment. He can't have said it better, he had to admit. Ronen was still as stoical as ever, and Thorin seemed to obey his command, stepping back…

…only to knock the sword out of Ronen's hand from this new position.

Ronen didn't drop his sword, but the momentary distraction allowed Thorin to grab him by the back of his neck, and forcefully lead him to the entrance, disgracefully pushing him outside and locking the door. Ronen tried to get back inside, rattling the handles, but he realized soon that he had no place there.

It was a family matter, it seemed. Fíli only now spared a glance to take in his surroundings.

Today was one of the rare days when he didn't spend time in his study at all. Thanks to the servants, the room was clean, and everything in order – except for the few unfortunate objects getting in Thorin's way. The tidy room was a stark contrast to those occupying the place: apparently, the whole Durin family managed to find his way inside.

Balin hovered near them, his eyes fluttering between Thorin and Fíli, not able to decide on whose side he should interrupt – because he wanted to, Fíli's experiences told him as much. Dís stood right next to him, her eyes on her son and brother too, but her hand ready to grab Balin's sleeve should he try to speak up. Dwalin was casually leaning to the wall near the door, one of his axes resting in his hand. He would surely leave them alone unless one of them started bleeding. Glóin was wringing his hands, trying to look everywhere in the room but on the two of them. Óin was the only one who rounded up a chair and sat down: he always preferred to talk only when talked to during these family affairs.

Their presence caused a momentary pause for Fíli. No one has taken sides yet, but where would they stand? On the side of their rightful king, who showed no respect for his older, more experienced kin, or the side of the uncle, who tried to undermine his rule? Or maybe between them? He hoped not.

"Damned fool," Thorin snarled, speaking of Ronen. "Have you learnt nothing?" he turned to Fíli again. "Have you no respect for your family? Does he not know his place? Or have you grown weak and now you need to hide behind his arms?!"

Fíli growled. Why did it always come to personal insults?

"He's steadfast and loyal. Perhaps you should learn from him!"

"You speak to me about loyalty?" Thorin sneered. "You? You're cavorting with elves!" He stomped his foot on the floor for emphasis. "You!" he pointed at him, stepping closer and closer until his index finger touched Fíli's chest. He still wore his armor, but Thorin cared not for the pain in his finger, and his force almost pushed Fíli backward.

Fíli uncrossed his arms so he can push Thorin's hand away, wrenching his finger for good measure.

"I?!" he started, not really knowing what to say; he didn't want to go on the defensive, but 'never insult Thorin' was too deeply drilled into him, and he couldn't find the will to start now.

"You! And Elves! Have you never listened? They're deceitful, lying scum! They lure you in with sweet promises, and then push you to the ground only to feast on your misery! Do you believe it was an honest mistake? Politely asking them not to do it again? Are you a scared little girl depending on their goodwill or are you King under the Lonely Mountain?!" he bellowed.

Fíli tried to look unfazed by his wrath.

"Are you finished?" He couldn't keep his tone neutral. He had half a mind to punch him in the face, but his muscles wouldn't obey this order.

"No!"

"You should be!" Fíli said on a low, menacing tone, putting up his hand to halt Thorin's oncoming tirade. He hesitated for a moment, which allowed Thorin to shut his mouth; probably, he managed to reign in his temper to hear out his excuses, only to pick them apart immediately. Fíli had no idea what to say; he could of course try to pull rank on him, but then Thorin would claim the moral victory.

Fíli let out a frustrated growl.

"Never, and I repeat this for emphasis, _never_ , talk to me like this again."

Thorin sneered, his hands fisting involuntarily. He took a step back to allow them to at least breathe comfortably. His arms flailed, trying to find a surface to pound on.

"I'm standing by my decisions, and not even your disapproval would sway me. Especially not when its origins are personal grudges, an inability of basic civilized conversation, and short-sightedness. Have you even taken the trouble to ask me why? Because I certainly do not remember that ceremonious occasion!"

"I do not need your childish explanations when I am surely right!"

"Now who's the childish?" Fíli retorted with a bitter smirk. This offset Thorin again.

"Childish! Me! You insolent brat!" He huffed, and started pacing again, gesturing wildly and banging his fist down on the table whenever he passed it. "Are you so obstinate on purpose? I thought that's your brother's prerogative, but it seems you're no better! I don't blame you for having such a naive view of the world: that cannot be helped thanks to your liberal and borderline spoilt upbringing, but to go through with these harebrained ideas against everyone and everything you're supposed to hold dear? Did you not hear objections? Did you not care? Is this a joke for you?"

"It's certainly no joke," Fíli answered. "I heard everything. I also heard what you haven't. Have you not decided to live in peace and merriment, away from the troubles of kingship? Don't you think we, who are still here every day, hear things you do not anymore? And even if you don't hear it – don't you remember how the hungry ones cry for food? The injured for medicine? The tired workers on the lower levels for a warm place to lay their head down? Has your mind become addled again? Too clouded to see those around you? To trust?"

Perhaps he shouldn't have hinted at his temporary madness, but Thorin's previous insults tore at all the painful places. His young age would give a reason for questions for a long while yet, but Thorin wasn't the perfect candidate to rule either! Maybe his gut protested against outright insulting him, but alluding to a true fault of his person got through his inner filter.

He heard the gasps. He heard as Amad smacked her palm against her mouth – she wasn't here to see, and they played down the severity of Thorin's madness in their stories. Even Óin stood from the chair – his hearing was functioning correctly this time, it seemed.

Thorin stood as a statue, not able to utter a word. Fíli saw the vulnerability in his eyes, but his anger fuelled emotions wouldn't let it show. Instead, he reacted as always after getting in a blow: his temper flared and attacked with renewed fervor.

"Perhaps _your_ mind became addled!" His voice was icy cold. "Who's to say you can resist a curse that stains our family? Do you think yourself above such?"

Fíli wouldn't budge.

"I wasn't the one who fell," he shrugged. "And I wasn't the one who begged _someone_ to take over _something_ he viewed as a burden – who felt himself too weak to carry it!"

Thorin approached with the energetic gait they all knew well from his ruling days. He always felt that dynamic movements gave the impression of superiority, but Fíli wouldn't fall for these tricks. Thorin towered over him again, and Fíli's instincts screamed to do something – step back, or at least raise his hands in surrender, but he only stood there, his arms crossed again, his stance firm, so he could keep his ground if Thorin tried to unbalance him.

Oh, he knew all his tricks.

Thorin had taught him well – Fíli had been on the receiving end on his power demonstrations so many times! He doubted Thorin could surprise him. He recalled their duel, and the feeling that overcame him when he pushed Thorin to the ground, using his shorter stature against his uncle.

No, he wouldn't bow to him, never again.

"Take it back," he demanded, his voice barely a whisper. Fíli felt his breath on his face.

"It's the truth. Are we now liars? Like elves?"

Thorin's face twitched, and Fíli slowly uncrossed his hands, carefully putting them on Thorin's chest, pushing him slowly back.

"Enough, Uncle."

Thorin was in shock.

"We aren't anything like elves!" he sputtered. His face, distorted in anger until now, changed to a mix of disgust and disbelief. "You cannot… You cannot do this! I gave you the Mountain because I thought you can protect it! I would never… not even in my wildest nightmares would I have thought that you would play away our heritage!"

Fíli walked away, unable to look at him anymore. Thorin's last words took away his will to continue this battle, and his exhaustion from the day suddenly caught up to him.

He walked to his table, leaning against it. He watched Thorin sadly, and let out a deep sigh. He didn't acknowledge the others' presence at all; probably some of them disapproved, and he had no strength left to fight them all.

"I'm not playing away anything. And I thought you entrusted me with leading our people," he added.

Thorin didn't deign to reply.

' _Am I leading them in the wrong direction?'_ Fíli wanted to ask, but he stifled this urge with a bitter smile.

"You made no mention of the Mountain back then," he said instead. He wanted to let it sink; so everyone can draw their own conclusion.

Thorin considered his words, and scowled again. "Semantics!" he muttered, but as Fíli clearly lost interest in their fight, he realized there was no further point to prove. He strode out just as forcefully as he came.

The rest stayed.

Fíli finally looked at them.

At first, his eyes were naturally drawn to his mother. Dís was pale, the knuckles on her hand turned white, so hard she was clutching her sleeves. She looked like she was on the verge of tears, but her lips were pressed into a firm line. She wouldn't allow them to see her cry, but Fíli would check in on her later. He had a lot of thinking to do, but if Thorin's words hurt Amad, he would pay. He was slightly aware of the chance that _himself_ might be blamed too – he couldn't think about it yet. He was determined to clear away her tears as soon as possible.

Balin still hovered near Amad, wearing an outraged expression. He was shuffling his feet, as if he had no idea what to do. He must be itching to go after Thorin, yet he stayed.

Dwalin was scowling; not a surprise. He pretended to study his axe, still leaning to the wall in the same position since he entered the room, but clearly he'd heard every word and formed a clear and cutting opinion. He was the most relaxed person in the room – that was probably true for the whole duration of the conflict. He must have felt Fíli's eyes on him, since with a fast flick of his hand, he signed him in Iglishmek without looking up.

 _Idiots._

Glóin avoided looking at him. Fíli didn't fault him, but he felt a pang of disappointment. So far, Glóin openly supported him in everything – what did he do wrong now? He will have to make amends quickly, but fortunately, Glóin was willing to talk through their differences in private, where he was free to add a few well-meaning insults too.

Óin was shaking his head absently, giving no indication if he was disagreeing with whatever happened, or simply regretting the existence of a discord.

Fíli sighed. He wouldn't apologize. He didn't need to.

"It's late. It's been a long day, let's go to sleep."

Óin quickly agreed. "Let's deal with tomorrow's problem on the morrow."

Dwalin stood to leave, but Balin cleared his throat.

"I don't think it's so simple."

"Whatever you mean, Balin?" Fíli asked a little impatiently, as he neglected to elaborate.

"Thorin is right about the elves."

Fíli let out an annoyed groan, and scratched his beard.

"What happened today… You went easy on them. The city is in an uproar. Everyone heard about the sighting of the dragon."

"The inexistent dragon, you mean," Fíli corrected him.

"That's not the point. The elves caused an enormous damage in our peace. What measures are we going to take now?"

"That's exactly the problem of tomorrow, as Óin quite eloquently put it."

"Our people are scared _now_ , and it will grow by tomorrow."

Fíli knew it, but what use would be to raise everyone in the middle of the night and disturb what little rest they can find?

"Are you sure this was a well thought out plan? We can see that you meant well, but perhaps we weren't ready for this. Perhaps…"

"What's done is done," Dwalin scoffed. "No use pointing the finger. Get some sleep, the troubles won't be gone."

"Aye, trouble has a bad habit of sticking for a while and attracting more trouble," Glóin mused. "I say we proceed as we planned."

"What plan?" Balin cried out. "We weren't notified in advance, how should we have prepared for such a crisis?"

"Do you mean the elves, or the fire?" Óin butted in, but Fíli felt his helpful comment was rather unhelpful.

"Aye, a little bit of advanced notice would've helped," Glóin muttered.

"And how exactly?" Fíli snapped, smacking his hand down to the table. "Had you been notified in advance, those who opposed would've had more time to formulate their own scheme for sabotage. I didn't want that."

"Do you have so little faith in us to think we would sabotage you?" Glóin was hurt, maybe rightly so. Fíli hung his head in shame for doubting them, but to be fair, none of them seemed very accepting of the idea at first. He also remembered what happened when they stayed in Rivendell.

"I say we go to sleep now," Dwalin shrugged. Fíli was grateful for his practical approach. "As I said, no use in pointing fingers here. I'm more interested in finding the thrice accursed imbecile who said there's a bloody dragon in the first place!"

Everyone agreed with that.

Dwalin, not extending his moment of glory too long, marched out. Glóin glanced at Fíli, muttered a goodbye, and left as well. Óin followed close behind. Balin lingered, but Dís took care of him quickly: she grabbed his shoulders and pushed him out of the door.

"Tomorrow!" she called after him. Standing in the doorway, she turned back to her son. "Rest well."

Fíli wanted to go to her, to ask if she was alright, but she slipped away. He remained alone with his whirlwind of emotions, and a heap of trouble.

He believed he was doing good.

He believed he was walking on the right path.

Thorin believed he was a deranged kid, ruining everything generations worked and fought for.

He truly wanted to dismiss Uncle's opinions as born from jealousy or regret, but what if there was truth in his words? What if Uncle was simply weak in those moments, when he offered him the crown? Or rather: should he have refused his offer and comfort him instead? Thorin looked so battered and weary then; he seemed honest in his wish to retire. Was it just temporary weakness, a result of the sickness in his mind, which would have been cured by a couple weeks of bedrest and self-reflection?

He seemed truly tired, and old, which frightened Fíli. He accepted, because he thought they both believed him ready for the crown. Was it truly so easy to lose Thorin's trust?

He went to bed as promised, but he was only tossing and turning. He did what he'd always done when in doubt: he thought of Flor. He imagined talking to her, telling her about his doubts and regrets, admitting where he felt he failed. He imagined her soothing words to sweep away his worries. He imagined burying his hands in her hair, and he remembered the warmth of her body in his lap, her soft curves making him forget about the dreary reality.

But in reality, his bed was cold.

He was alone.

He got up with an annoyed huff; there would be no sleeping tonight. He dressed; he can pass the hours by coming up with possible ideas how to relax his people. He might as well try to interpret the words and accusations exchanged between him and Thorin, or maybe reflect on his family's reactions. Since the dwarrowdams arrived, he distanced himself from them, for they spent a lot of time in the Courting Hall. He should have taken measures to talk to them still; maybe this could've been avoided. Maybe, maybe, maybe…

Maybe he should check in on the one single dwarrowdam he wanted in his life since Flor made herself unavailable: his mother.

He left his chambers, ignoring the night guard, who fell in step behind him. He didn't bother to knock on Amad's doors; he entered quietly, only stopping before the entrance to her bedchamber. He tried to listen in, but no noise reached his ears. It meant nothing: Amad perfected the art of hiding her sorrow too well. He knocked, careful not to wake her if she slept, but she opened the door too quickly.

She didn't even bother with getting into bed.

"What in Mahal's name are you doing here? I thought we agreed to go to sleep!"

Fíli rewarded her admonishment with an incredulous glare, and walked inside. Amad fluttered around the room, carefully keeping her back to him. Fíli waited a little if she would betray herself. He watched her twitchy movements as she straightened every item she could find: she used to do the same in their small cottage in the Blue Mountains, only she now owned a lot more items that 'needed her attention'.

Fíli approached her, and put a hand on her shoulder. Dís tensed, like a wild animal when it detects danger: she even stopped breathing until Fíli spoke.

"Are you alright?"

"If I say yes, will you go to sleep?" she asked exasperatedly.

Fíli snorted. "Do I look like I'm any closer to sleeping than you are?"

Dís turned to him, fixing him with a stern glare. Fíli could see tears welled up in her eyes, not for the first time tonight, considering the wet traces on her cheeks and the harsh redness where she wiped them away, probably violently. "I have chamomile tea. I also have stronger sedatives, so I can put you to sleep, if you can't take care of it yourself!"

Fíli chuckled bitterly.

"Thanks, Amad, now I'm going to be suspicious of anything you give me."

"I should've taken care of it before I left. You're always drinking that foul brandy, I should just slip something into those bottles…" she rambled. She was barely keeping it together.

"Amad, what's wrong?" he said, grabbing her shoulder and turning her to face him. She'd always masterfully kept up the charade of being strong, but Fíli had been her support in the darkest hours on too many occasions to be fooled. She couldn't look him in the eye. She shook her head, but eventually raised a hand to wipe her eyes again. Fíli immediately swatted it away, as her frustration over her emotional state caused her movements to be too forceful. He pulled her to his chest, and rubbed her back gently in soothing circles.

He was very young when they lost his father, but he remembered Amad's grief, loud and unrestrained then. He had to assume the role of the man of the house – a diminished version, considering his young age – and he remembered Thorin talking to him about it. Thorin liked to use big words, most of them incomprehensible for a dwarfling of fifteen, so he did the only thing he could: he turned to his mother. She cried, hearing his questions. He tried to calm her to get answers. After a while, she tried to reign in and hide her crying fits, but he'd already learned to notice. As time passed and he grew, these occasions became rare (though more serious), but he would forever recognize the telltale signs of Amad's tears.

She always seemed so small when she cried. She didn't make audible noises, nor did she allow her body to shudder with sobs. She only wept, but her silent grief tore at Fíli's heart more than any loud cry for help. He hoped he wasn't causing her tears this time, because he wouldn't ever forgive himself for it.

"Amad, tell me…" he asked, the lump of fear in his throat swallowing the words. He waited for it to clear away before he finished the question. "Did I do something wrong?"

Amad didn't answer immediately; instead her body started to shake. Fíli's shoulders slumped, fearing the worst. He held her tighter. He felt as she shook her head forcefully, and he let out a relieved sigh. She tried to get away, so he lowered his hands. She allowed him to comfort her, but only for a very short time. She preferred to overcome issues by finding a solution – perhaps it would be beneficial for both of them tonight.

Dís distanced herself from him just enough to be able to see his face.

"I'm selfish. How are you?"

Fíli looked down to the floor. What could he say that hadn't been said before?

"I'm so sorry." She shook her head, unable to find the words. "I didn't want to stand between you two again. I thought you need to fight it out. I was so foolish! By the time I realized… Oh, I'm so sorry! But why have you never told me about these things? You're carrying too much. I've never realized the rift between you and Thorin is so…"

"There is no rift, Amad. Don't worry."

"Allow me to worry, that's what mothers do!" she snapped. "There is a rift, and I think neither of you are honest about it," she stated firmly, when Fíli tried to protest.

Of course there was a rift, Fíli felt it keenly. He felt Thorin always meddled: doing charity in his name, taking care of petitions, smoothing minor debates… It was quite insignificant – he had to admit that in his better moments –, but annoying for a young king to see his predecessor walking the halls as if he still owned everything.

"It's just his meddling. It's nothing, really. Minor jealousy," he admitted, his shame making him flush.

"What I've seen tonight is not minor jealousy on your part. Fíli, Thorin openly belittled you in front of your closest kin! That's definitely not minor jealousy, and certainly not on your part! I can't help but wonder what exactly was said when he offered you the crown."

Fíli turned away, crossing his arms. He and Thorin spoke about a lot of things, and he wasn't comfortable with repeating any part of that conversation.

"I'm sorry. I'm not ready to talk about that."

Dís wasn't satisfied, and though she let it be known with a deep sigh, it mattered little. Between the two of them, there was no place for questions or distrust. They'd always drawn strength from each other, and nothing would ever change that.

"He gave up the crown. He has no right to question you, and that's final," Dís declared. "And I'll remind him of it every moment he forgets this."

Fíli wished everyone would be so supportive, but had a dreadful foreboding that his troubles with Thorin had only started.

At least he won't have to fight alone.

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm really curious what you all think about this chapter. I both liked and hated writing the first scene. It was very emotionally draining, not just for the characters, but for me too.

Reviews help me to recharge!

Thanks for the review, **Emrfangirl!** Fíli is doing his best, but infortunately, not everyone (khm...Thorin) is so impressed.


	14. Advised

**Advised**

The morning came too soon.

The Durin family gathered for breakfast to continue their discussion from the previous night. Thorin didn't show up – according to Balin, he felt his advice wasn't appreciated, so he wouldn't burden anyone with his company. Fíli took a deep breath in relief: it wasn't like Thorin offered up anything constructive, and Fíli really didn't need to listen to his tirades and accusations once more.

"We need to placate the people somehow," Balin kept repeating.

"People can piss off," Dwalin answered. He never strived to please anyone, but it worked rather well for him.

"We should let them talk," Óin said. "If we let them be, they'll forget about what happened very soon. It's how rumors work. If we try to silence them or tell them too much, they're going to think it's more important than it really is."

"I say we can make a good deal out of it," Glóin said. "They are more willing now than ever to strengthen our security. We should renegotiate our deals for weapons and armor. I bet we can get lower prices! We should recruit new guards too!"

Dwalin was nodding along. "People are more willing to train when they face danger. Even fake danger; not that they can tell the difference," he muttered the last part.

"We shouldn't let panic run wild only to profit from it!" Balin protested.

"We're not letting panic run wild," Glóin argued. "We are taking action for their protection, and kindly ask them to help us reach our goals."

Fíli chuckled.

"Not that there's much panic at all," Óin said. "Most people only learned about the alleged dragon threat after we ensured that there is no such thing. My guess is that they won't talk a lot. And they are mildly amused, instead of panicking."

Balin looked around the table and nodded, pleased with the results. "Very well. What do you think, Fíli?"

Fíli thought that he was very grateful for his kin at the moment.

He feared that they would side with Thorin, because they supported his rule for decades, while Fíli was just a newcomer in this circle. He'd been part of similar family discussions before, but not as King – he was mostly trying to entertain Kíli with a kicking match under the table, because his little brother found these discussions too tedious for his taste.

"I think these are all very good ideas," he said shyly. They all seemed so confident and what more should he add? What would Thorin do? Suddenly, it dawned on him that this was probably a finely tuned process, and today, he had to fill the role Thorin had filled so far. He remembered his uncle giving weight to each and every opinion, adding his own remarks and reaching his own conclusion, but Fíli had nothing to contribute. "Let's do this then."

He felt really awkward. It was different when he had time to plan his actions and map out every possible scenario, but now he had to react swiftly. They were a lot more experienced in these matters, but should he simply tell them that he trusted their judgment? Uncle always managed to sound cleverer than everyone else.

"Good," Glóin said, grinning widely, digging into his food enthusiastically. "Let us take care of our business, and you can deal with yours – the elves!"

Balin patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, it's going to be a funny story around a campfire in a decade, as no harm happened."

Fíli certainly hoped so.

The conversation took a pleasant turn, as they recalled similar 'funny stories', and Fíli started to relax. He feared they would try to make him feel like he was still just a naughty, disrespectful dwarfling (like Thorin did yesterday evening), and he remembered how often they made fun of him and Kíli, but now, they included him in the conversation as an equal. It was nice laughing with them, instead of be laughed at by them. Maybe he wasn't completely alone without Kíli.

Kíli…

"Where is Kíli, by the way?" Glóin asked. "My Gimli is asking after him. Apparently, Kíli promised to go on a hunting trip with him before he left."

Fíli bit down on his tongue, the tasty food turning ashen in his mouth. "He's away for business," he answered, failing to come up with a better lie.

"What business, if I may ask?" Balin chimed in, suddenly suspicious. "Are you preparing another surprise, like the elven envoy?"

Fíli flushed, but he deserved this comment, and no one could know that Kíli's business accidentally involved elves.

"A personal business," he answered.

"Is it another childish scheme of his? I thought he's already grown out of it!" Dwalin grumbled, earning a smack on the head from Dís.

"All of you should've already grown out of it, yet none has!" she commented. Fíli looked at her, silently pleading for help, but she ignored him. Now, Fíli cursed himself for guarding Kíli's secret so well: he'd refused to go into details when she asked about Tauriel, so she wouldn't side with him. Who was childish now?

"If it's personal, it's personal," Balin said and returned to his breakfast, his suspicions clearly not erased.

"But a little warning would be nice before he barges in with some nonsensical demand!" Glóin advised.

Fíli imagined as Kíli strolled inside the mountain with Tauriel, hand in hand, asking for his blessing to marry and settle down here. He shuddered. He knew for a fact that this scenario have played out in Kíli's mind too. He wasn't sure he would be able to grant this wish, should it happen for real.

"I can promise that."

Business in the mountain went on as usual. Fíli dealt with the elves and a very apologetic Bard, who 'should have kept a better watch', as he said.

"We are in this together," Fíli reassured him, "but once everything calms down in a few days, you should come over for a drink."

Bard happily accepted the invitation.

Fíli spent hours with Haldír, going over the plans and details. He was asking questions only for the fun of it, as Haldír started to grow uncomfortable with every failed attempt at explaining things simply. He often mixed up the proper terms, and when he got confused in the middle of a sentence, he started searching in the notes his companions made for him. Fíli found it hilarious. After an hour of going in circles, Haldír finally had enough.

"Why are you so interested in the fine art of agriculture, Your Majesty? I thought dwarves cared little for growing things."

Fíli sniggered. He knew that Haldír could easily take offense should he answer honestly, but seeing the elf's indignant face, he decided to tell him the truth. Perhaps Haldír will take the chance and laugh at himself. He should. It's not like he didn't deserve the criticism.

"I was only curious how long you can pretend to understand what you're speaking about."

Haldír's face turned crimson.

"I was relieved when you came to report, because I thought I escaped a lot of explanation about correct methods and proper timing and such – I don't care about them. Don't bother learning all this," he pointed at the notes. "Just tell me where we shouldn't go, and what we'll see, or when you'll be burning down my mountain again. There'll be another fire, as I see?" He waited for Haldír's confirmation. "Good. That's what I need to know. We can spend the rest of the time in a better way, I'm sure."

Haldír nodded, and left soon. His face revealed nothing about his feelings, and Fíli only hoped he judged his character well. He'll have an answer for that tomorrow.

The others were busy too: by the evening, Glóin struck up new deals with several merchants and craftsmen, they started recruiting dwarves for the Guard, people generally went on with their day, although they made crude jokes about elves more often.

Dwalin mercilessly hunted down those who reported the dragon first, and took care of them effectively. Their career prospects quickly changed from aspiring warriors to cleaning unused corridors on the lower levels ("where we wouldn't rely on their failing eyesight," as Dwalin said).

After the meeting, Fíli went to the Courting Hall. Balin and Dís agreed that he should be seen more in public now, because his presence effectively discouraged gossiping. Fíli grudgingly agreed – he knew he had to socialize, but what if he runs into Seenia again? He would rather go anywhere else. Visit the mines. Visit the market. Go to the training yard. (He did all of these, actually, but it wasn't enough.)

Balin and Óin accompanied him, as Dwalin had other, mysterious business – Fíli reminded himself to check if Liv showed up. Upon arriving at their destination, Balin immediately left to check if Thorin was here and if he was still in a foul mood, but Óin prevented Fíli to enter the Hall.

"Where is Kíli?" he asked, his voice low and worried.

Fíli took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Where is he?" Óin asked again, grabbing his shoulder forcefully. "I've been thinking about this all day. What personal business can keep him away from the Mountain?"

Óin stayed behind with them in Laketown, and he witnessed Kíli's adoration for Tauriel develop. They exchanged a meaningful look.

"I don't know where he is currently."

"But you know where he went."

"Yes, Óin, I guess we both know where he went."

Óin shook his head. "It cannot end well."

Fíli knew that too, but only shook his head. "There was nothing more we could do," he declared. It sounded a bit false, but he left Óin on the corridor and entered the Hall.

He looked around immediately, searching for trouble. He found Seenia easily – she was loud and dressed to be noticed – so he walked in the opposite direction. He was looking around for a friend, when Nori came up to him.

"The elves didn't do magic today," he reported, sounding rather disappointed. "It was boring, and several dwarves appeared out of nowhere. A few guards and merchants, too. I didn't like them, they annoyed the elves by standing by and gawking at them. They got twitchy, they're less fun that way."

"I'm glad you find entertainment in your job."

Nori felt his point didn't get across properly. "Don't you hear me? I was just saying that those stone-headed onlookers ruined the fun. Why can't everyone be quiet and unobtrusive, like me?"

Fíli snorted. "I don't know."

"How long should I watch them? There are others now, surely I'm not needed anymore."

"Am I keeping you from business?" Fíli asked, mocking him with his feigned concern.

"Actually, you might be!" Nori sounded sincerely hurt, but as he'd just described himself as unobtrusive, Fíli decided to ignore it. Probably he only wanted to get more money out of him – Fíli was only surprised that he waited so long to ask (or rather, whine) for it.

He noticed Kasia nearby; accidentally, she was sitting with Alin, Nori's suspected lover. Kasia noticed him too, and waved. Fíli smiled at her, and decided to go over. Maybe she can guard him again tonight. He beckoned Nori to follow him.

"How much do you want?" Fíli asked, but Nori was distracted, and only made a noncommittal humming sound. He pretended to think, but his eyes were fixated on Alin. "Maybe we can go over the details tomorrow," Fíli offered.

He couldn't help but sympathize. He remembered how the yearning and the reluctance about going public with Flor tore at him at the same time. He remembered how they both loved the large gatherings, where everyone danced with everyone, and no one gave a second thought if they paired up once or twice a night. He remembered the thrill of getting away with it, of being together right under their noses, of being honest without actually being honest.

If there was anyone in this world who enjoyed it more than him, it must be Nori.

They were already near the dwarrowdams, and he decided to give him a push. "I'm going to ask that girl for a dance, do you mind entertaining her friend for a little while?"

Nori froze for a moment, but immediately shook it off. "Sure," he said nonchalantly, but he wouldn't look at Fíli.

Kasia happily accepted his company. She seemed a bit deflated tonight. They left Nori and Alin together.

"That's going to be awkward," Kasia said. "She's always so careful to stay in company. I think her lover would be jealous if he saw her right now!"

Fíli smirked. "Seeing that?" Nori and Alin conversed stiffly, keeping a rather large distance between them. "He must be really insecure!"

They danced for a while. He told her about the elves – fortunately, he didn't need to explain everything to her, since she'd already heard the story from Raya. She told him about the rumors she heard, and made fun of them. When the musicians took a break, they split up – Kasia rejoined her giggling friends, and Fíli tried to stay unnoticed, quite unsuccessfully. Fortunately, exchanging a few words with everyone kept him too occupied to be swept away by overtly friendly dwarrowdams again, and leaning to the table an arm's length from the ale, he started to relax.

Suddenly, another friendly face appeared next to him – looking not so friendly right now.

"Your Majesty," Erna greeted him politely, but the tight smile accompanying her words didn't look natural. Fíli felt not a small amount of apprehension: did she come on Thorin's behalf? She shooed away his current company, and put a fisted hand on her hip, while pointing a finger at him accusingly. Seeing her steely glare, Fíli braced himself for what was to come, but her next words confused him. "You owe me an apology, as you quite rudely ruined my whole day!"

Fíli blinked, twice, tilting his head. "What do you mean?"

She threw her hands up in frustration. "Thorin is sulking. Apparently, you're not the good little lapdog he tried to train. Apparently, you are having ideas of your own, and I should condemn you for it. Why no one has warned me of his tantrums?"

"What will you have me do about it now?"

Erna crossed her arms, pursing her lips. Uncertainty arose in Fíli, as he couldn't tell if she was truly angry, or simply tried to drive her point home.

"I'm not going to be your messenger!" she stated firmly. "He said a lot of things; mostly being very cryptic, but I think you two need a good long talk."

Fíli slowly let out the air he held back without noticing.

"I'm not sure now is the right time for that, but we're family, we'll deal with it. We always do," he said diplomatically. He was getting curious how much Thorin told her – she was a very close _friend_ after all!

"I'm sure, but I don't think either of you realized what a precarious situation you are in!" She made an exasperated gesture with her hands. "I don't know how to say it nicely, but there's a reason why the new king is usually crowned after the old one dies!"

Fíli pressed his lips together to stop them from expressing his annoyance.

"And I think I overstepped," she said, her frustration evaporating suddenly. "I apologize. I'm going back to Thorin and bear the grunt of his hysteria without complaints."

She turned to leave, but the change in her tone shook Fíli out of his anger.

"Erna, wait!" he called after her, unsure what to say. She glanced back, but as he was still looking for words, she answered.

"You're not a dwarfling anymore, you don't have to explain anything. Not to me, and not to Thorin either."

"Care to tell him that?" Fíli blurted out sarcastically, and shook his head. "Forget it. You're not a messenger. Just… sorry for upsetting your day," he finished awkwardly.

Erna took his arm and led him to a corner to have some privacy. The armchairs were facing the wall, and she motioned for him to sit down. Fíli, intrigued by her actions, obeyed.

"I'm not really angry at you," she said on a low voice. "Thorin is grumpy as any old dwarf would be after the life he led during all those years. Do you remember my compliments from the other night?"

"Which ones?" He raised one eyebrow impertinently, and Erna looked away, shaking her head and trying not to blush again.

"About your confidence," she managed to say, fixing her gaze on the floor instead of the dwarf opposite her. "You don't have to explain anything. You need to look infallible. Whatever happens, you go through with it as if it was your plan all along. I thought you were already doing that."

Fíli nodded. "I'm trying."

"Thorin said a lot of things today. He often comes to me for a new perspective, and I'm glad to help, but I could help more if I'm told where."

"What did he say?" Fíli asked, hopeful to get some insight.

"Briefly: he sees your efforts, but he expects you to fail with the elves."

"And this is how you try to encourage me?" Maybe she meant well, but Fíli suddenly questioned her loyalty. She was Thorin's _friend_ , so who knows.

"No. I'm saying you need to make this endeavor with the elves successful, and _after_ that happens, you two need to learn how to be equals. You can start by talking to him, as he suggested the other night. He likes reminiscing about old times, and I'm sure you have a lot of stories to show your competence and experience regarding leadership. Eventually, he'll realize that you aren't as clueless as he fears."

Erna gave him a lot to consider; actually, she was the first person who not only realized his difficult position, but gave useful advice.

"I'm leaving you with your thoughts, and I'll just harass other members of your family. Maybe one of them takes pity on me and teaches me a trick to snap Thorin out of this mood." At least she was smiling, Fíli noticed, so he didn't worry much about her. "I've also heard your mother is making an interesting announcement very soon!"

Fíli also knew about it, but felt little interest. He stayed in his secluded armchair, only adjusting it slightly to have a better view when Amad called for silence. The summer solstice was soon upon them. Dwarves celebrated their work on the longest day of the year, but Amad and Vera also appointed this date as the starting point of marriage announcements. (The date also coincided with the elves plan to burn the lands once more, so Fíli planned to advertise it as a spectacle in the end of the long day.)

Fíli watched the crowd, where a few couples exchanged excited hugs, while others looked disappointed, or giggled with their friends. Dwarrowdams generally displayed more emotions regarding the matter; groups of dwarves were standing awkwardly near the walls, not sure how to broach the subject with their respective partners, if they were lucky enough to have one.

Kasia came and took a seat next to him. She immediately dropped the fake ear-to-ear smile, when she felt safe from prying eyes.

"I blame your brother for this!" she said, scrunching her face. "I should be getting married by now!"

"I thought there wasn't any formal agreement between you two," he said hesitantly.

"Because there wasn't!" She was tugging on her braids, which Fíli learnt to interpret as a sign of her immense frustration. "But I came here to get married as soon as I can! I came here with a good plan! I'm attractive! I know how to handle men! Then he came along, taking up all my time, and now everyone seems so dull!"

The corners of her mouth were dangerously bending downwards, and when she sniffed, Fíli vowed to make Kíli's life miserable, when he returns.

"Whatever. He's dull too!" she declared, lifting her chin stubbornly. "And I have a goal. It's just… I thought I would be the first to marry here, yet, here I am, while Zaz is talking to a mediator about her marriage prospects, and I'm sure she'll make an announcement as soon as she can, just like I should!"

She was sniffing again, scrunching her nose, and pulled at her braids so hard she cried out. "Ouch!"

Fíli reached out to get her hands away from her hair.

"I'm not making any announcement in the foreseeable future, so you're welcome to my company."

Kasia looked at him in mock horror.

"But you're the dullest of them all!"

"Am I?" He did little to make himself popular among these ladies, so her statement carried more truth than he preferred.

"Well, you can prove me wrong anytime!" she offered, still acting up her disbelief, but her eyes were twinkling with challenge.

* * *

 **A/N:** Quick update. I'm busy with an exam tomorrow, but I'm really trying to keep a schedule here. So, I hope you like it!

Next up: the day of the summer solstice, which brings celebration, a little jealousy, a marriage announcement, and Varni reappears again.

If I'm up to it, it's coming on Saturday. You can encourage me through reviews!


	15. No Way Out

**A/N:** Sorry for the long wait! My excuse is that maybe I was a bit too eager to publish Chapter 15 - I was eager to cross this line, since my longest story chapterwise has 14 chapters. Then I realized that I need to reorganize the scenes, and I did just that.

What changed?

There's a new scene with Fíli and Bard in this chapter, before a new version of the first part of what I deleted. The rest of Varni and Alin's story will come as Chapter 16, with some changes. I'm sorry, since I've spoiled it for those who read the chapter, and especially, I apologize to those who reviewed: **ThatOtherWriterGirl** and **Queen** **MariaTheresia** , since I didn't even reply, but I'm very grateful for the reviews!

Thanks for the patience and sorry for the mess!

Sky

* * *

 **No Way Out**

"Come in, I've prepared everything!" Fíli greeted enthusiastically the visiting leader of the neighboring kingdom. He led Bard through a couple of doors and rooms, until he felt comfortably far from the outside world. The room they settled in looked small, although one of the walls (and who knows how much space) was hidden by thick curtains. It seemed to be one of the few rooms in the royal wing with only one exit.

"Take a seat," Fíli said, pointing at the armchairs in front of the small fireplace.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I wasn't shown to this room when I got the grand tour of your quarters," Bard said hesitantly. Fíli only used a handful of the rooms here, while the rest were empty and in dire need of repair, reminding Bard of a haunted labyrinth. He wouldn't like to get lost here.

"You're correct," Fíli said, standing in front of a dressing table, its old painted flowery pattern still visible. "It's the queen's dressing room. Amad made me promise to return it to its original state when I marry, but until then, I decided to use it as a sitting room. As it turns out, I'm awfully out of touch with my friends and family, and if we speak in my study, then the talk always turns to state affairs. This is close enough to the entrance, but not immediately in reach, and small enough, as I refuse to heat up a larger room for just a few people, despite Amad's wish to redecorate every room she can find here."

Bard looked around with interest, but the previous furnishing was cleared out, except for the dressing table.

"You got a nice cupboard for the drinks though," he said, amused by seeing Fíli opening the gilded drawers, searching for cups.

Fíli fixed him with a glare.

"It's built in," he stated. "It fits the purpose. Now, let's drink!"

Fíli didn't allow any space for hesitation: he filled a cup and handed it to Bard. He took it with a groan.

"We really shouldn't get as pissed as last time."

"Agreed," Fíli nodded, taking the first sip, enjoying the way the liquid fire burnt its way to his stomach. He wasn't very comfortable thinking the elves might make a mess again and he's unable to react.

According to the elves' reports, those first flames only prepared the ground for the intensive purging that would happen next day, during the shortest night of the year. The two kings were nervous about it: Fíli advertised it as a finishing spectacle for the festivities of the Day of Crafts, but he would rely on Bard to oversee the peace and safety, as he'd need to appear at the Courting Hall for a significant event of the Spring Tour of Love. They spent the afternoon with reviewing the preparations for tomorrow, and they met up now to rewind a little before the big day.

They were sipping their drinks, switching the Best Friend for a light ale. They shared the newest going-ons from their respective kingdoms and their insecurities about their dealings with the elves.

"I feel so overwhelmed around them. They are so old and have seen so much, and those dead fish eyes scare the shit out of me," Bard admitted.

"Don't look them in the eye!" Fíli exclaimed. The alcohol appeared to be working, as he felt unreasonably excited by Bard's perceived mistake. His mind was still clear though, and he calmly explained to Bard what the man forgot. "Their queen is an elf-witch. What if they can bewitch you with a mere look, and the next thing you know is that you're their slave?"

"I thought you had a high opinion on Galadriel…"

"I have, but she's still an elf-witch," Fíli answered, confused why one should exclude the other.

"I feel like I'm not welcome here," Bard stated suddenly. "I was thoroughly searched at the gates, which have never happened before. I feel like your dwarves have just realized that I have a friendly approach toward elves. That I'm ' _fraternizing with the enemy_ '."

"Because you are. Oh, and make sure that they can see your ears." Seeing Bard's confusion, Fíli sighed before elaborating on the topic. "We've caught a disturbing rumor about me having pointy ears."

Bard snickered, his gaze immediately drawn to the tip of Fíli's ear.

"I don't have pointy ears!" the dwarf snapped angrily, pursing his lips, and stood up. He reached up to the top of his head, tangling his hair in his hurry to hide the body part in question, and strode away. "It's not funny! I changed my braids to let my ears be seen, so my people wouldn't think that _I'm_ fraternizing with the enemy." He opened a drawer of the dressing table. Bard turned around, leaning over the back of his seat to see what he was doing. "Don't look!" came the strict instruction.

Bard sighed and returned to his drink. Staring into the flames and musing on the latest affairs in his kingdom, he heard when Fíli came back, and felt the dwarf's hand on his shoulder. In the next moment, Fíli smacked him on the back of his head – probably, he did not put his whole dwarven strength behind the blow, but Bard still saw stars.

"Ow! What did I get that for?"

Fíli shrugged nonchalantly. "Smack the elf," he said, pointing at Bard's shoulder, and swiftly tore off a sticky piece of red wax from Bard's coat. Bard inspected the material carefully, but it left no trace.

"What is this?"

"The newest and most popular game, invented by Erebor's finest. It's called 'Smack the elf!'"

"How ingenious," Bard groaned, still massaging his neck.

"You take a piece of this wax, and mold it into a shape of an elf. Anyone who sees this sticker on you will smack your head, as you're the elf, until you get it off."

"Terrific," Bard commented drily.

"Thank Mahal for we have no bigger problem! The jokes are getting mean, but there's no significant unrest. You should be glad that you've learned about 'Smack the elf!' from me. And you deserved it! You're not the best elf-sitter, you know."

Bard hung his head in regret.

"I just don't know what to do with them. They seem so peaceful, but they're unnerving. You said we're in this together, but not really. All you have to deal with are elf-derogatory jokes, while I'm supposed to find a balance between you and them."

"'Smack the elf' is very serious," Fíli defended his people. "Also, we had quite an army exercise – if this is not serious enough, then I don't know what is. You're not dealing with it alone!" He didn't care to mention his mother's visits, nor the troops he sent down for the sake of his people's peace; these were new developments and Bard knew about them. Nori's constant watch, though, remained a well-guarded secret; Fíli had no reason to reveal that his trust wasn't built on mere friendly feelings, but on Nori's extensive observational skills.

"Tell me about it!" Bard said. "I screwed it up."

"We both screwed up," Fíli said darkly.

They both took a long gulp of their drinks. Fíli broke the silence again.

"We weren't ready to forge this alliance. I had a serious falling out with Thorin over this, and Amad says I'll just have to go through with my plans, no matter what. Thorin's _lady friend_ , who is a simple friend, not a more-than-friend," he explained to Bard, who raised his eyebrows in curiosity.

"Do I want to know?"

"Nope, discussion of Thorin's love life requires a lot more booze and a larger company," he grinned.

Bard shrugged, wondering what he might learn, should that occasion arise. He always found Thorin rigid and intimidating.

"So, this lovely lady said the same. Go through with it, no matter what. So, after we finish commiserating, we'll go through with it."

"Whatever it means," Bard mumbled.

"Yes," Fíli hissed, leaning forward in his seat. "I'm serious. My people will rebel if they think I'm getting too cozy with the elves, but the lands are ready, and we need that trade agreement to go across well. The first cargo is arriving soon, and the elves will finish their job a few days later. It will be over in a fortnight!"

"Yes," Bard said, staring thoughtfully into the flames. "I'm not sure I was ready for this, though."

"I'm not asking if you're ready!" Fíli said. Bard flinched at hearing the urgency in his tone. "I'm saying what we'll do, because if we fail, then our rule ends and chaos will descend on your city."

"And Erebor will stand tall?" Bard scoffed.

"Yes," Fíli said, leaning back, refilling his cup. He decided in favor of the Best Friend instead of ale to go with this topic. "Although I'll be ridiculed, disgraced and Thorin will take back his throne; not necessarily in this order."

"Nice."

"So suck it up, we're good so far. No true harm done, as my kin says. Sending Haldír here was a great idea."

Bard let out a derisive snort. "Poor man, I had no idea what to do with him anymore!"

"He's fine here," Fíli shrugged.

He was very pleased when Haldír returned with his report on the second day. It seemed he preferred entertaining Fíli over excruciating boredom. He also admitted his negligence, and promised to pay more attention.

"There is more to building a friendship between our people than simply living near each other," he said. Fíli hasn't heard truer words.

"Let's go sparring instead," the young king offered, after quickly running over the highlighted points of the report. It reeked of Sigrid's hand: Fíli suspected she'd already checked it and made it more comprehensible. Fíli admired her brain and practical attitude (Flor had the same ability to simplify things for him), but also felt resentful, because what right she had to look into _his_ report?

Haldír happily joined him on the slopes, showing off his skills for the growing number of onlookers. The next day, Fíli sent Dwalin to test the elf's skills. Fíli watched as the two circled each other, both watching the other's moves, engraving it in their minds for later use. As an unexpected turn, Fíli pushed Ronen ahead in Dwalin's stead; the young guard stood there, bewildered to actually fight the creature, but Haldír understood Fíli's silent request and gave a good lecture to the young dwarf.

From then on, several guards were sent to spar with the elf. Dwalin made suggestions how to alter their trainings to include new techniques they've seen from Haldír (especially since most dwarves were offensively clumsy in the overground matches), and the elf looked quite happy with the exchange too.

"He's doing rather well," Fíli said to Bard. "Fortunately he has a thick skin and knows a lot of impressive insults."

Bard almost choked on his drink. "How do you do that? My men couldn't keep up with him!"

"Dwarves are stronger," Fíli smirked. "Also, how much military experience do you have? Or anyone in your city, for what it's worth. None? Did I hear that right?" Fíli asked derisively, without allowing him to answer. "You have nothing to impress him with, while we have. We also have more refined training methods than simply hacking at whatever comes across us."

"Then maybe I should send my troops to train with yours!" Bard felt his annoyance rise. He visited Fíli to drink away his frustration, and here he was explaining him his failures. He knew that dwarves were better in many regard – Fíli liked to boast about it, and Bard learned to tolerate it. He wanted to answer in the same manner, but he was yet to find where his men would best Durin's folk.

"Actually, that's not a bad idea," Fíli said thoughtfully. "We should think about it when we're sober and they're gone."

Bard acknowledged his surprising reaction with another cup of ale. It was just another reminder of how much he depended on the dwarves, especially on this one here, and the situation wouldn't change anytime soon. Sometimes he wondered if he should just let them rule in Dale without him pretending to be in charge.

"Let's drink to that! Honestly, I wasn't bred for this life. I'm so out of my depth, always pretending to be confident, while I feel completely misplaced. I was a bargeman. I was quite happy with my boat, I didn't want a whole blasted city!"

"Tough luck," said Fíli, struggling with contrary feelings. He was bred for this life, yet, he couldn't be content with his current situation. "Feel free to purchase a boat and pass your free time as you see fit, _after_ the elves are gone!"

Bard wrinkled his forehead, contemplating the idea.

"I'm going to go on a hunting trip," Fíli declared. "I still need to find a partner though, since Kíli is absent, you and I shouldn't leave the cities at the same time, Dwalin is…" Fíli snorted, thinking about the alleged strange romance Dwalin was caught in, "otherwise occupied, as are everyone else."

Bard snapped his head in his direction, cracking a smile.

"So your mother's machinations are progressing well?"

"By tomorrow this time we'll have the first marriage announcements, and I'll fall out of her favor," Fíli said darkly. "I know of one couple that will please her greatly, and I can already hear her going on like ' _I'm so happy for him_ ' or ' _We should have a family celebration!_ ' and my favorite is, ' _Oh, how I wish one of my sons would cause me such happiness!'_ " He shamelessly mocked Dís' enthusiasm by distorting his voice and making exaggerated gestures with his hands. Bard truly respected the lady in question, but as he'd witnessed some of her emotional displays in the past year, he couldn't suppress a smile.

"Poor you," he said mirthfully.

"Thank you for your sympathy," Fíli glared at him. "Not to mention, that I have a… a… suitor? Can I say that?"

Bard started snickering, and Fíli continued with an impatient sigh.

"I swear she's following me. A few days ago, she bumped into me at the door because she _accidentally_ arrived at the same time, and forced me to sit with her and listen to her inane chatter. I tried to get away, but she would just hook her arm through mine, and cling to me, wherever I went. I tried to tell her that I'm not interested, but she pretended not to hear. I tried to talk to other dwarrowdams, but she always interrupted with cruel remarks, which embarrassed me too. I escaped her by claiming to need to take a piss!"

Bard couldn't stop laughing, smacking his palm to the armrest several times. This riled up Fíli's temper.

"That's what I get for being supportive of my mother! She pushes me to these… these… Oh, sod it, I can't even call them names, because it would involve cursing elves, and they are our friends now!"

"Good for you," Bard forced out his words between two fits of laughter.

"Did you even listen? She's a pest! I should've listened to Kasia, and be prepared, because Seenia is nothing, if not persistent!"

"Seenia?" Bard asked. "Sounds like we have a new curse."

Fíli looked at him baffled, but his meaning started to dawn on him.

"Seenia!" he said angrily, trying out how it sounds. He was pleased with the result. "Sounds like we have a new curse!" he said happily, bumping his fist to Bard's shoulder.

"Yes," Bard answered, less happily, as he massaged his shoulder now. Friendly dwarven gestures were often numbing, and caused ugly bruising. "Though if I were you, I wouldn't use it in front of your mother, in case she thinks it's a sign of your interest in her!"

Fíli gaped, horrified by the implication.

"Oh, look, how late it is, maybe we should call it a night!" Bard intended to take his leave now that he managed to outwit the dwarf king. He's going to sleep so much better now!

* * *

The corridor where the Spring Travelers were lodged was buzzing with excitement – both the positive and the negative kind. Only the organizers of the Spring Tour, Lady Dís and Lady Vera knew who applied for a marriage license so far, but this didn't stop the speculations. The dwarrowdams often found themselves in hushed conversations about the possible weddings: after three months in the Lonely Mountain, there were only a handful of steady couples. Who would be brave enough to be the first to stand up? Will there be any surprise tomorrow night?

These speculations were constantly going on since Dís' announcement a week ago, and Alin was tired of them. She belonged to the group of dwarrowdams, who felt disappointment because of the approaching event – although her disappointment wasn't caused by her lack of prospects.

Things with Nori weren't going well. He snuck into her room every night, but he had an air of reluctance around him lately, and he also avoided the Courting Hall.

The last time he showed up, they were having a party with music and dancing, and suddenly, King Fíli appeared with Nori in tow, and left the lovers in each other's company. Alin couldn't believe their luck! They had a chance to dance, to spend time together without revealing anything, since they were just doing a favor for another couple by making themselves scarce.

Dancing with him was the most exhilarating experience she'd ever had. She knew his body so well, their connection enabled them to move in perfect harmony, just like in bed, except they weren't really touching. He was so close, and yet too far away. He was shooting suspicious looks in every direction, but after a while, he relaxed, even laughed. After everyone retired and Nori visited her in her room, their passion was finally brought to a release, and she'd never, ever felt so powerful love for him.

She thought they made a step forward – but he made two backwards in the meantime. Either he was too paranoid, and didn't realize that their secret was safe, or he was ashamed of her. He carefully avoided her company during the day, and his visits at night became shorter. She tried to find an answer, and reassured him of her love; he said the right words and she had no doubt about his sincerity, but his actions spoke of the opposite.

Her friends didn't notice her melancholy – Kasia was sulking, because she didn't have any marriage prospect yet, and since she was the self-declared leader of the group, everyone had taken her side. She avoided her family, as she didn't want them to confront her about her issues.

Fortunately, she had one friend who cared enough to attempt cheering her up.

It was the day before the summer solstice, and Alin decided that if she had to put on her smile for the sake of the happy couples, then she can skip the party the day before. She went out for some food, and her wandering took her to a familiar stall on the market. The closing time was near when she arrived, but Varni's talismans were ever popular. She decided to just walk past, but he noticed her.

"Have you lost your way again?" he teased her, referring to their failed meeting a few weeks back. After finding herself at the secret hideout for lovers, she tried to distance herself from Varni, but he called her out on her absence. It seemed Alin misunderstood the directions, since Varni was waiting for her somewhere else (he showed her the place: it was a friendly pub). He was truly worried when she didn't arrive, and he was horrified after he learned where she ended up.

After clearing it all up, she happily continued their friendship, though she tried to keep their meetings restricted to the Courting Hall.

"Come, Alin, I can gift you a talisman against the evil that's haunting you today!" he greeted her, sensing her bad mood. He led her behind the stall, guiding her with his hand on the small of her back. He shot a glance in the direction of his employees: all three of them were occupied, trying to make some last minute sells.

Upon reaching the stock room, Varni pulled the curtains closed.

"Aren't you needed for closing up?" Alin asked. Her father always inspected the closing personally.

"Nah, they're good. We're practically family," he explained nonchalantly. Sensing Alin's hesitation, he explained further: "The lass is my cousin and the two lads are her cousins."

Alin accepted this, and even admired Varni for building his business on trust. Her father was more lenient with his kin too. Varni motioned for her to sit and offered her a few biscuits and a cup of water. "I'm sure it's not the dinner you were hoping for, but it will do as an appetizer for our love-inducing feast later."

Alin didn't want to correct him, so she glanced around. His stock looked nothing like the tidy place of her father. She saw smaller and bigger boxes stacked on each other in a haphazard way. There were three small stools, and a huge, overturned wooden chest used as a table. A sturdy box containing money stood on the middle of it; Varni closed its lid, and put it away. She sat down, and pressed her lips into a line, hoping it passed as a smile.

"I just can't bear to see you upset!" Varni declared with surprising fervor. "Let's find something to chase away your displeasure!"

He pulled out a glittering necklace from one of the boxes, and laid it on the table.

"Do you like it?" Varni asked eagerly, as she admired the pendant.

Alin hesitated. Varni gave out presents freely, both to friends and to costumers; Alin witnessed his generosity several times. The necklace was beautiful, even complimenting her colors, but it wouldn't do to accept such a gift outside of her courtship.

"It's pretty. Does it have any special powers?"

"It cheers you up," he said conspiratorially. "What a coincidence that you are having exactly this problem!"

Alin giggled at his antics. Clearly, the necklace had no magical powers, but him making fun of it had.

"It's yours."

Varni had such a warm heart; simply saying no would hurt him and drive him away, which Alin didn't want to do, so she decided to stall.

"How much does it cost?"

"Nothing."

"I insist. You can get a good price for such a beautiful item. Or is there any defection you're hiding from me?"

They fell into a comfortable bargaining dialogue, an action, which cleared away any sense of impropriety. The roles were reversed, as she tried to pay and Varni accepted no money, yet, the familiar words made Alin feel like she was making a regular purchase, not skirting around the issue of her availability.

Fortunately, before she relented and took the necklace for free (Varni was very persuasive, and Alin was running out of excuses), one of his employees interrupted their banter.

"Linka!" Varni greeted her with fake enthusiasm. They conversed in a low voice; Alin didn't hear a word. It seemed something required his presence, and when Linka disappeared once again, Varni turned back to her.

"It seems my time is up. Let's agree to disagree about the price," he said, smiling, and offering his hand to help her up. Alin simply left the necklace on the table, pretending to be in a hurry to leave. It was for the best.


	16. The Day of Crafts

**A/N:** **I deleted the Chapter 15 I originally published, and I uploaded the new version yesterday.** **Some of you may have missed it.**

What changed?

There's a new scene with Fíli and Bard in the new chapter 15, followed by a new version of part of what I deleted (Alin pov).

This chapter contains most of what was in the original chapter 15: Alin during the Day of Crafts. It's slightly rewritten.

I'm sorry, since I've spoiled it for those who already read the deleted chapter.

Thanks for the patience and sorry for the mess!

Sky

* * *

 **The Day of Crafts**

The day of the summer solstice started with the steady rhythm of gongs and drums everywhere around the city when the sun rose outside. Alin, as everyone else, woke to these sounds, and prepared herself for the longest day of the year.

Dwarves celebrated this day as the Day of Crafts. One would think that being underground, the sunny hours meant little for dwarves, but as their work often required contact with the overground folks, they followed the circle of light and dark in their everyday tasks. The Day of Crafts were first celebrated by traveling merchants, who spent most of their time overground, and profited from the longer days of summer greatly, as it granted more time to work and prosper. Thus, the Day of Crafts was born: instead of simply working longer than on any other day, the longest day of the year turned into a large festival, where craftsmen displayed their wares, entrance to the workshops was granted, so the public could view the master during work, and at the end of the day, they feasted to celebrate the large income and the good reputation they gained.

The Day of Crafts was typically celebrated by those living on the road, not under mountains, but in remembrance of the years they spent in exile, Erebor's folks would organize it every year. Alin heard it was a huge success last year, and she looked forward to this new tradition. The downside of coming from a rich family was that she didn't study any craft, as eventually, she would take up the craft of her future husband and be a great asset to him; but she wouldn't be idle through the day.

She joined her family for breakfast. Her father, Breen had a flourishing business at home, and even though he came here to visit his daughters, he made a few good deals during his stay. He was a smith by trade, skilled and rich, as he made a point of making his wares personal and unique. His name in the Iron Hills equaled a guarantee for high quality, and if he had an opportunity to gain the same reputation here too, he wouldn't hesitate to take it.

Wherever he went, he always carried his tools with him, so he decided to rent a stall on the marketplace, to display his talents for the folks of Erebor by decorating a few items and giving advice on this special day. His daughters' offer to join and help him pleased him, as their company always brought cheer to his days, but also, because two pretty faces surely attracted more customers.

Alin spent the morning next to her father, smiling at people, exchanging pleasantries. Malin, on the other side of the stall did the same. To Alin's surprise, Malin seemed to have more customers than her, which ignited a spark of jealousy in her chest. _She_ used to be more popular! She was prettier, and her smile kept the customer's attention even if she had nothing to contribute. Today, she truly didn't need to exert herself, as everyone made witty comments about the elves and the burning land – she'd heard the lamest jokes several times since dawn, but her smile never faltered.

Still, something had changed. Why did Malin attract more attention, while people only thanked her and went on their way?

She immediately chided herself. She shouldn't be jealous.

She loved Malin, and they used to be very close. Lately, they've grown apart (mostly by Alin's fault). They belonged to different circles of friends and while they both followed their mother's advice and got involved with charities to occupy their time (as they had no need to work), Malin chose to help with setting up a daycare for dwarflings, but Alin instead preferred stay around adults. Day by day, they grew apart, still, Alin found the thought of tainting their relationship with such negative feelings unbearable. She loved that they didn't share everything anymore, but she _knew_ she loved her sister more than her privacy.

Her father noticed her apathy and attributed it to tiredness.

"Why don't you two go have a look around and grab a lunch? Bring dessert too; there must be a few exceptional delicacy today on the market!" he said.

Alin shot a glance at Malin, who was chatting up a handsome guard currently.

"I can go alone," she said on a flat tone, not wanting to disturb them.

She decided to walk around. She hoped to run into a friend who can spare a few moments to talk, but avoided Varni. He would surely bring up the topic of the forgotten necklace, and Alin had no idea how to deflect without hurting him.

Oh, if only her stubborn lover agreed to go public!

She acquired some food, and she knew she should return to her family while it's warm, but she dragged her feet with great reluctance.

Bringing food used to be Malin's task, while Alin stayed to entertain the customers and enjoy their attention. Now, she was invisible, and the only one who said hello was one of Varni's employees. Everyone else seemed to be deeply engrossed in presenting their talents, and Alin felt uncomfortable that she had nothing valuable to show.

Malin greeted her with a warm smile and praised her choice of food. Alin hated to see her so happy when she was feeling low, and then hated herself a little more for these thoughts. She excused herself sometime during the afternoon, claiming fatigue and a lengthy preparation for the evening feast.

"Shall I wait for an announcement?" her father asked, only half joking. Alin shook her head.

"Will we meet up for the fireworks?" Malin asked her eagerly.

Alin shrugged. "I already promised to go with Kasia."

"Maybe for the feast then?"

"I'm not sure," she said noncommittally, crushing her sister's hope. Surely they could squeeze Malin in at their table, but Alin preferred Kasia's company over her sister. At least Kasia openly disliked tonight's event (despite Zaz's efforts to tame her temper), and Alin wouldn't be forced to pretend delight at the news.

The evening provided a great spectacle: the elves made fireworks on the slopes of the Lonely Mountain throughout the night. When the sun disappeared on the horizon, the lands lit up – first, strange sparkles covered the ground, and suddenly, the whole area burst into flames. The suddenness of it made many take several steps back – Alin stood with a group of friends, and she had to grab a shoulder, while someone clutched her elbow, to stay upright.

After the initial fright, they watched as the fire purged the "breath of the dragon" from the ground. From time to time, flames blew upwards violently: a last, silent scream of the beast whose only goal was destruction.

(She imagined how much nicer it would feel to watch from a hidden terrace, somewhere up the mountain, safely ensconced in Nori's arms.)

As spectacular as the flames were, the dwarrowdams had another, more interesting event to attend. Zaz somehow compelled Kasia to be generous tonight, so the rest of the girls giggled excitedly about who would come forward and announce an engagement already. Their excitement was contagious: Alin almost managed to forget about her lover, but apparently, he deemed tonight's feast worthy of his presence.

Nori was there, sitting at a table with the Company. Although most members invited dwarrowdams to sit with them, Nori sat alone at the end of the table, near the wall, trying to blend into the shadow. He was swinging on his chair, picking on his nails with a knife and defiantly staring at his hands. Alin turned up her nose and turned away: if he wouldn't acknowledge her, she wouldn't do the courtesy either.

Dinner tasted stale, the sugary Dorwinion wine became sour on her tongue, and she found the chatter of her friends irritating. Someone – probably Kasia: she couldn't deny her common upbringing – kicked her under the table in warning to wipe the scowl down from her face. After that, Alin put down her cutlery and pushed her plate away. She turned in the direction of where Lady Dís sat, pretending to wait for the announcements. This way, she could hide her downward curling lips from her friends, and they didn't attempt to draw her into a conversation.

Unfortunately, Lady Dís sat with the Company, right next to her son, the King under the Mountain. Nori sat at the same table, still pretending to be invisible, still not looking her way.

Lady Dís waited until the clatter died down before she stood up, asking for those wishing to marry to make the announcements. No one moved at first, so everyone was looking around with interest. There must be a determined couple if they made so much fuss!

Finally, a chair scraped the floor, and a throat got cleared. Everyone turned to the table where the sound came from – where the Company sat.

She thought one of the older dwarves would be the brave one – she reckoned they would be more eager to settle down and start a family – but when she found the brave aspirant, she froze.

It was Nori's little brother.

That's why Nori came tonight: to support his little brother, not to see her. He must have known, but didn't see fit to tell her.

Alin barely heard what Ori said. She watched as the young dwarf raised his cup and thanked a few people for different things, introduced Lee as his fiancé, who said a few words too. Kasia made a few unflattering comment about her, as she'd always found Lee uptight and pedantic. The couple asked for the blessing of Ori's family (since they were here), and there were general cheer, toasts and jesting. Alin heard not a word of it, except when someone mentioned her lover's name – which they did often. It seemed many found hilarious that the youngest brother married first, and teasing Nori rather than Dori afforded more fun.

Alin felt tears gathering in her eyes when Nori stood up, throwing his arms over the shoulders of Ori and Lee, and said a few funny words. Her heart wrenched from the sight. He looked so happy for them!

Will one day she be the bride? Will he stand with her, looking so carefree and content? Or was she doomed to warm his bed at night and remain a shadow forever?

People in the room stood and went to congratulate them in person, but Alin felt no desire to go anywhere near Nori now. She waited for their table to clear before she stood up and slipped out of the hall.

The corridor was dark and cold, and she forgot her shawl in the Hall, but she didn't want to go back. She knew that were she sensible, she would at least choose the shortest route, but right now, she was rather emotional, and she wished to avoid people. She cursed herself: being so upset over practically nothing… Yet, Nori's little brother was getting married, while her lover wouldn't even let her meet his friends or family.

 _It will go away, this wretched feeling,_ she tried reassuring herself, unsuccessfully. She couldn't hold back her tears anymore, and when she found a small alcove, she collapsed there, and wept quietly.

She sat there for only a short while, when she heard feet shuffling nearby. She wiped her face as well as she could, not wanting to look so desperate. Maybe Nori noticed her pathetic escape, and followed her?

But it was Varni, instead, standing in front of her.

"You left the celebration so soon," he said, studying her. "Is everything alright?"

Alin looked up at him teary-eyed. Varni's smile gave way to sympathy.

"Come, let me give you a hug!"

Alin got to her feet and nodded, letting Varni wrap her in his arms. She was grateful for a friend now, but a friend couldn't truly quell the heartache Nori's behavior was causing.

"Tell me, what's wrong!" Varni pleaded, pulling away slightly. He cupped her face with one hand, searching her face for clues. "Were you perhaps counting on an offer tonight?"

Alin shook her head. Varni stroked her cheek with his thumb. She cracked a shy smile to show that she was alright.

"I'm fine," she said almost convincingly.

Varni pursed his lips, trying to hide his disbelieving smirk.

"You don't look fine. Talk to me!"

Alin was tempted for a moment, but kept quiet. Not only Nori's request kept her from admitting the reason of her sadness, but she felt ashamed to come clear now after keeping the secret for so long.

She didn't want to talk to anyone, she just wanted to be left alone. She tried to make a step back, but Varni held her tightly. Something very intense sparkled in his eyes; he hid it quickly, and she wouldn't have noticed it if she hadn't seen the same restraint in Nori's eyes so many times before.

"Seeing you so distressed tears me apart, but I have to say, many dwarrowdams got disappointed tonight, and none managed to stay as poised as elegant as you!" he said. His compliment scared Alin: was she giving mixed signals to him? She felt paralyzed as he leaned closer, until the tip of his nose lightly touched her earlobe. It sent a wave of pleasure down on her spine, and a wave of chilling fear in the next moment.

Alin's lips trembled. She didn't want to be poised and elegant. She wanted to have thick, muscled arms to push Varni away, but her petite stature put her at a disadvantage. She then wanted to tear out Nori's hair strand by strand, until he stopped lying to the entire world about the two of them.

Varni's breath tickled the sensitive skin of her neck. With a little wriggling, Alin managed to place her palms on Varni's chest, but he was still too close, and he quickly reacted by clutching both of her hands into one of his. He gently kissed her knuckles one by one. He murmured sweet words about her beauty and grace, and their future happiness. She tried to pull back her hands, but he was grabbing her fingers too tightly. When he finished, he only allowed some space between their bodies to trap her arms.

"Let me show you the pleasure that we're going to share for the rest of our lives!" he said, with complete certainty. One of his arms snaked around her waist, while the other slowly slid lower and lower on her side, on her thigh. "Let me show you a whole new world where only the two of us exists!"

His seductive words didn't work on Alin at all. She was panicking: she tried to struggle, but Varni held her firmly in place.

"Stop, please, stop!" she pleaded. "We're friends!"

"And we'll be so much more!" Varni said.

"No! We can't!" Alin protested. She was surprised to hear her voice so strong and steady. "I'm not looking for a husband!"

Varni's eyes twinkled with mirth. "Oh, but you are! Otherwise, why have you come here?"

"Yes, I came to find a husband, but I didn't… I wasn't… Nothing was supposed to happen tonight!"

Varni contemplated her words, but quickly shook it off. "Well, I still can't see you so upset, so let me cheer you up!"

His tone confused her: he recited compassionate words, but stopped pretending to be caring and sympathetic. His gaze slid to her lips, and she bent her neck in a really awkward angle in a desperate attempt to avoid his forceful kiss. Her mind was working fervently to find something to discourage him, before his mouth found its way to hers.

"I have a lover!" she blurted out.

This stopped Varni, and he leaned back to look her in the eye.

"I don't believe you," he stated finally. A moment later, his face suddenly changed from amused to nervous.

"I wouldn't risk it, if I were you," she heard her lover's voice. His chilly tone scared even Alin, but Varni finally backed off, revealing Nori's form behind him. He raised his hands, and tried to move to his right, but Nori shoved him face first against the wall. The tip of his knife scratched Varni's coat just about the height of his kidneys.

Nori didn't look at her. Alin clutched her hands on her chest, trying to take control over her shaking, but she was too shocked by Varni's actions and Nori's sudden appearance. She felt so helpless.

"If a lady says hands off, then it's hands off for you! If you find it too difficult, I can help you out in this regard," Nori said almost passively, wrenching Varni's right wrist. He wouldn't be able to use it for a few days.

"Should I see you stalking her again, that will be the last thing you ever do!"

Alin told herself that only the low temperature of the corridors made her shiver, but there was a deadly edge to Nori's words, and she had no doubt he would go through with the threat. She knew that dwarves were protective and that he'd fought in battles, but she hadn't ever spared a second thought for how far he would go for her.

"Oh, come off it! Coy little thing is so gullible, she's bound to get in trouble! You're just sneakier," came Varni's derisive reply. Nori bashed his head to the wall with just enough force to give him a hump without knocking him out.

"I would sleep with an eye open from now on in your place," Nori hissed threateningly, and shoved Varni out to the middle of the corridor. Varni was no fool, after making a rude hand-gesture, he was gone in a blink of an eye.

Nori stared after him, only looking at Alin after making sure they were alone. His glare softened into a concerned expression.

"Are you unhurt?" He slowly reached out to her. Alin nodded, not trusting her voice, and took his hand. He pulled her into his comforting embrace, and Alin let out a breath of relief. She didn't want to touch anyone else ever again.

They stood like that until she felt herself confident enough to get through a sentence without stuttering.

"We should report him."

Nori made a noncommittal sound.

"What's wrong?" she asked, despairing again.

"Don't worry. This will not happen again."

Alin backed out of his embrace. Varni tried to force himself on her, and had Nori not found them in time, only Mahal knows how far he was going to go! The dire reality of the scene had just started to sink in. Her tears started to flow without restraint, and remembering every kind word she wasted on Varni and the compliments he told her, her sobs became more and more powerful. Probably, he was lying to her all along, and the meeting at the lovers' hideout was already his plan to do just what he'd tried just now! Reika had warned her, but she was a stranger, so she chose to believe Varni, even though she hadn't known him for long either. Nori wrapped her in his arms, drawing soothing circles with his hand on her back. She was inconsolable.

"I can't… I have to go! I have to tell father, he'll know what to do!" she mumbled.

Nori held her, slowly shaking his head.

"And what do you expect him to do?"

Alin felt powerless. If she told her father, he would demand justice, and force her to go home, to the Iron Hills. She couldn't leave Nori now!

As though responding to her thoughts, Nori spoke again.

"You're safe now. He won't come back, I'm pretty sure I scared them away for good. But it would be best if we told no one about this. You can talk to me if you want to."

"Why? Why can't we tell? Are you worried about my reputation? I don't care, and since no one knows about us, you don't have to bear my shame."

"There is no such thing as your shame! The only one doing anything shameful is him. You are the purest soul I've ever encountered," he said with such a conviction she almost believed him, but the doubt that maybe she unknowingly encouraged Varni nagged at her mind. He seemed to sense she needed more encouragement, so he continued. "It's _not_ you. I'm concerned about what my involvement means."

This thoroughly confused Alin.

"Would you get in trouble for drawing a knife on him?" she asked, her eyes wide in fright that this incident may result in losing him after all. "But… but it was self-defense! You're friends with the King, he must believe us! You didn't even harm him!"

"Much," he argued. "But what if he says something else? What if he brings in witnesses?"

"He can't have witnesses. He has nothing on you."

Nori let out a self-deprecating snort.

"Everyone has something on me, Love."

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading! Now, I believe everything is sorted out regarding the chapters. We'll see if Varni can get away, and also in the next chapter: **KÍLI!**

to **Emrfangirl** : I like the drinking scenes too, it's nice to know I'm not the only one! Varni is bad news, but Nori isn't at the top of his game either. Kasia tries really hard to seem like a bitch, but she isn't really. She just tries too hard. Thanks for the review!


	17. Life as New

**Life as New**

"Can you please stop sulking?" asked Zaz tiredly from her friend.

Kasia had a really bad day (and still no marriage prospects), and now was pacing in her room, tugging on her braids and starting unnecessary chores without the intention of finishing them. Her clothes were scattered in the room, a broom was laying on the ground completely forgotten, and a few minutes ago she decided to rearrange the furniture, but apart from pushing the single armchair, her desk, and the chair to the middle of the room, she accomplished no significant improvement.

"I'm not sulking!"

The vehemence of her statement proved just the opposite. Zaz fixed her with an unconvinced glare.

"Why would I sulk? My life is perfect! I'm in the freaking most confusing city of dwarves! I have a job in an overpriced dress shop! I am looking for a husband in the most grandiose surroundings! It's not like I don't know what I'm doing!"

"That's what I'm saying too. You should stop sulking," Zaz repeated.

Kasia snorted and threw herself on the bed, between two piles of clothes. She buried her face in her hands. She had a reputation of being very sociable, but this was among the very few times in her life when she truly wanted to be alone.

"Shouldn't you be catching a husband? I thought you were going to make the announcement yesterday evening!"

Zaz didn't take the hint.

"I decided that I'm in no hurry. I have suitors aplenty."

"I thought we came here to find a husband as fast as we can," Kasia mumbled, displeased with the result she achieved. "I thought you don't want to be alone."

Zaz shook her head quietly.

"Is it foolish to hope for finding my true love?"

Kasia snorted.

On the journey from the Iron Hills to Erebor, the two girls immediately formed an alliance. They both had very clear pictures about the perfect husband: Kasia was looking for a rich bachelor, while Zaz wanted to find someone sweet and caring. Neither of them showed any interest in finding the legendary One love. Kasia, who grew up in poverty, believed love wouldn't fill an empty stomach. Zaz came from a rich family and had everything at her disposal, except for the attention of her parents. She believed if love makes you too blind to notice anything or anyone else (namely your child), then she wants nothing to do with it. A sweet and caring dwarf would do, who would be there for their children in every way Zaz's parents weren't.

"I mean, I've met a lot of sweet and caring dwarves, but what if it is only a pretense? What if we marry and the interest will fade? What if he finds true love with someone else, dooming our marriage to eternal failure?"

"Where did you hear such nonsense?"

"I've been talking to mediators," Zaz said, shrugging. "I've told you."

"You told me that you're asking for their help to choose."

"Yes," Zaz hissed. "They advised me not to hurry. There is no deadline. I shouldn't marry just for the sake of marrying."

Kasia pouted. She wanted to marry for _money_ , so this particular piece of advice didn't really concern her.

"I still wasn't very convinced, because my best candidate is kind, honorable, has a good reputation and is a fine blacksmith. But in one thing, I completely agreed with them: it's not a competition. There is no deadline. They emphasized that there is a three-month-long engagement period before the wedding, and I can prolong it for even a decade. Perseverance shows dedication and the seriousness of feelings."

"Who wants to be courting for a decade?" Kasia mumbled. She certainly had no patience for someone so indecisive!

"I don't," Zaz shrugged nonchalantly, "but I can wait for you."

"For me?" Kasia asked, befuddled. "Why ever would you do so?"

"Because you're the best friend I've ever had," Zaz admitted, taking great interest in the patterns and the items on the floor. "I came to love you as the sister I've always wanted. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we reach our goals together and share the happiest day of our lives?"

Kasia frowned. They daydreamed extensively about the perfect wedding. They had similar taste in decoration, music and food, only… Zaz was able to pay for it, while Kasia's wedding ceremony will depend on how deep the future husband will reach into his pocket. Not to mention, this husband was still faceless, while Zaz was a question away from making her dreams come true.

She didn't care to point this out to Zaz right now, so she nodded.

"That's a really nice idea," she answered with a fake smile. Zaz will get bored of waiting for her eventually.

For what it's worth, Zaz's words calmed Kasia enough to start to tidy up her room.

"Why did you not stop me, by the way?" she groaned. She hated how Erebor was changing her. She needed to take back the control over her life. She wanted life to be as simple as it used to be.

A little while later, Alin arrived, looking for company.

"Beardless Mahal! Whatever happened to you?" Zaz exclaimed. "You're so pale, as if you've just seen a ghost!"

Alin nervously fisted a handful of her skirt, casting her eyes down.

"Wait, have you…?" Zaz asked.

Kasia rolled her eyes. "Can you get any ruder?" She led Alin to the bed, carelessly sweeping the clothes off to the floor. "Now, tell us what happened. Is it your nosy sister? Or did your mysterious lover do something? We'll be happy to put him right! See there? Zaz has a mean glare, even battle worn warriors would cower in fear!"

She tried to ease the young girl's tension, but Zaz, instead of demonstrating her mean glare, only looked baffled.

Alin broke into tears.

"It's him!" Zaz scoffed angrily. "That bloody bastard! Let's go to a mediator! They can handle him!"

Alin hid her face, and Kasia frowned. Zaz's newfound admiration for authority wouldn't help matters now.

"Didn't you want to visit them, by the way?" she asked her friend. Zaz looked at her, completely missing the point. Kasia made a dismissive motion with her hand. Now, she could demonstrate that mean glare! Though Kasia wished she wouldn't be the recipient. Still, Zaz finally left them alone – as great as she was in plotting, she became utterly useless facing emotions.

"Did he do something?"

Alin nodded, but before Kasia could curse his unknown name, Alin continued.

"He saved me!" she blurted out.

"Saved you from what?"

"From Varni!"

"Varni?!"

Alin wiped down the tears from her face, sniffing, and when she somewhat regained her bearings, she explained what happened.

"I felt so horrible! He was so strong, and wouldn't stop touching me, and I told him that I'm sorry, that it's a misunderstanding, but he wouldn't listen!" Tears gathered in her eyes again. "And then-n… my lover came, and took care of him, but he said we shouldn't report him!"

Kasia found many disturbing details in the story.

She remembered Varni: for obscure reasons, he completely ignored her after their first meeting. She didn't notice anything amiss about his behavior, but Alin's story proved her first hunch true.

"There was no misunderstanding," Kasia stated firmly. "He's a slimy bastard, he's not the first and not the last. That's why we need to stick together."

Her words comforted Alin, but Kasia's pessimism grew. Alin wasn't even the first of the Spring Travelers to encounter such problems. Kasia one day found a girl, Lena, crying in their common room – apparently, she got a little carried away with a handsome young guard, who spread the tale. She found out by the way of a merchant, who offered that she can pay on her knees for her purchase. Kasia wondered how many similar stories were hushed up.

"You should tell Lady Vera or Lady Dís though," Kasia added. "They need to know. Or, maybe, King Fíli. He's very helpful."

Alin's breathing quickened again, she jumped to her feet and shook her head violently. Her perfectly arranged locks were flying around like angry tentacles, trying to strangle an unsuspecting victim. Kasia quickly ducked to avoid them. She raised her hands defensively.

"Alright, alright, let's get back to it later!"

"No," she said, crossing her arms and pressing her lips firmly together. " _He_ said we shouldn't report it, and I don't want to get _him_ into trouble. Don't ask. I just wanted to talk to someone, because I feel horrible, and when I'm alone, I feel like I'm suffocating, because I'm weak and useless!"

Kasia drew her into a one-armed embrace. She wanted to say something comforting, but she couldn't yet. She focused on slowly simmering down her anger, but thoughts were chasing each other wildly in her mind. Alin was so tiny and fragile! Kasia was confident she wouldn't get into a similar situation: she'd learnt how to deal with overly friendly (or unfriendly) guys. She wasn't a faint-hearted lass, she could bring a grown dwarf to his knees in one swift kick.

Maybe she can share her knowledge. Alin certainly missed out on such basic lectures of life, but she was in good hands now. Kasia felt confident that she would be able to take on Varni – with a little help, mind you, for safety.

"So, no telling anyone, but what about revenge?"

Clearly the young girl hadn't ever had such wicked thoughts.

"Maybe we can set him up, and make him see reason and correct his ways."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Alin said. "What if it was truly just a misunderstanding?"

"Oh, then we'll gift him with a little good sense, because right now, he clearly lacks it!"

This comment finally earned a faint smile.

Kasia questioned her thoroughly about how she met Varni and what she knew about him. She tried to gauge information about Alin's mysterious lover – she didn't miss that Alin called him 'lover', but when she called her out on it, Alin blushed so hard, Kasia feared her face would never return to its original color. Alin was tight-lipped on anything concerning _him_ though, which alerted Kasia. Perhaps it was just Zaz's newfound fascination with them, but she felt Alin really should talk to a mediator.

* * *

Kíli opened his eyes: the morning came again. He'd got out of the dungeons, only to get caught in a new, more torturous prison. He dreaded the first step of his monotone daily routine: check if Tauriel made it through the night.

She did.

Kíli rolled out of the bed, stretched and went to freshen up. When he returned, he took the cloth from the bedside table, and dipped it into a bowl of cold water. He gently touched it to Tauriel's forehead: she did not stir. Kíli despaired. He patted her face with slow, deliberate touches, murmuring sweet nothings.

Although she stirred sometimes in the past weeks, he'd discovered that only hallucinations were disturbing her peace, and she wasn't calling out his name in recognition of his presence – she was calling him to a journey through her dreams to the eternity. Sometimes, she woke up, but it was only a pretense: instead of the room, she was seeing a faraway land, her unfocused gaze betraying her distance.

Kíli was scared.

He was too young when his father died, so he knew nothing about death or grief. He was out of his depth here, so he just kept going through his daily routine day after day. Generally, he was restless and easily bored, but now the repetitive motions comforted him with the promise of another day to wait for the miracle. Every morning, he opened the window to air the room, and fed her the disgusting weed-broth that was supposed to give her strength. He brushed and braided her hair as often as she allowed, sadly noting that her tresses have been losing their shine. Sometimes she cooperated, she even spoke occasionally, striking up a conversation, but Kíli's initial enthusiasm quickly disappeared when he realized that she imagined him to be in her dreams.

Though she was able to get up and move around, she had no sense of reality anymore, and it looked scary from the outside. Sometimes, she was barely lucid, her eyes hazy and her voice eery, but often, she looked almost alright, and that unnerved Kíli.

He wanted to run, yet seeing her so weak paralyzed him, so he stayed.

He had loved her so much! He had no idea how he felt about this shell of her person now.

No, that's a lie: he felt guilty, worried, scared.

.

" _Her heart broke," explained Legolas on one of the first days, when Kíli couldn't keep his questions to himself anymore._

" _What do you mean her heart broke?"_

 _The truth hurt more than his worst nightmares._

" _She chose to leave this kingdom, following_ you _against her King's orders. She chose to save_ you _, several times, and when she returned from the battle with us, she left her heart behind. She kept hoping to get word from you, but with time, her hope faded as well as her spirit." Legolas sighed. "We tried to help her, but for an elf, living an eternity with grief in their heart is too painful. Often, they give up."_

 _Kíli was stunned. He'd known that elves could be killed by battle wounds, but he'd never heard about the other option._

" _She is young by our standards, and has seen little of the world. She thoughtlessly went after the first spark, and fancied it to be the only one. Father, seeing her melancholy, ordered her to keep up with her duties, believing it can regain her willingness to live, but as months passed, she grew more withdrawn and tired every day. On the day she refused to get up, Father said we've lost her. He won't spare a nurse for her to prolong her suffering. We've been caring for her since."_

.

These revelations horrified Kíli. On any other day, he'd have a lot to say on the subject of the less than sympathetic Elvenking or the general incompetence of elves, but to know that Tauriel was going to die overwhelmed him. He understood Legolas' ire now – and he realized that caring for Tauriel was intended to teach him a lesson too. (Although he hasn't exactly figured out what, yet.)

The despicable pixie also said that she had only weeks left. A month, no more. Kíli counted the days, terrified to add another one, losing more of the time they still had. He'd been caring for her for more than two weeks now… He prayed to Mahal, and any other deity whose name he recalled, to come to her aid.

She sat up obediently today, allowing Kíli to feed her. She wouldn't let her brush her hair though, she was too tired, she claimed.

"Hold me tight," she asked on a small voice, and Kíli curled up to her from behind. She succumbed to the deep slumber once more, forgetting about the world around her.

Kíli wept silently.

Sometimes he wished he'd stayed at home, so he would never have to go through this. His self-pity then turned into shame, because he wasn't the one dying. Sometimes he wondered if her condition was his fault, if he could've done anything, but it was a pointless line of thoughts that led to self-hatred. Yes, he could've come sooner, but he had no idea about this whole mess!

Maybe Fíli was right. She was an elf, and that brought a lot of trouble, for which Kíli was unprepared. He'd known awfully little about elves, and if he truly intended to pursue Tauriel, he should've started by learning. (Though the kissing was so very good!) Since he neglected to ask her about anything, he still could've learned during the last year, but maybe Fíli was right, and whatever he felt for Tauriel wasn't serious (but the heartache now very much was).

He should've done better. (But who could have known that she gave her heart so easily?)

He wouldn't be watching her die now, if he had.

He dozed off, still holding on to her, but his battle-ready instincts woke him as Tauriel stirred again. He started murmuring soothing words, hoping to sweeten the dream, and she turned over to face him.

"Kíli?"

Kíli leaned up on his elbow, watching her face for signs of distress. Her eyes were closed, and she scrunched her nose as if opening her lids would be too painful, yet she wanted to do it. He'd witnessed this before: he used to imagine that it was a sign that she was trying to really wake up, but his hopes got destroyed every time.

"Lie still," Kíli whispered, gently tracing her jawline with his fingers. He kissed her forehead, as usually – he so wanted to reignite the passion they shared back then! But now, the flame would be one-sided and fake, and he wouldn't take advantage of her. So far, kisses on her forehead eased her back to sleep, but now, the corners of her mouth turned down, and she let out a low, strangled sobbing sound.

"You cannot be him." Her words were barely louder than a shallow breath, but it tore at Kíli's heart. She'd never outright denied his presence before. "He's far away."

"I'm here," he stated firmly, though he felt a lump in his throat.

"No, not truly," Tauriel answered, sighing desperately. "He's far, far away from me and I'm walking in starlight in another world. You are but a shadow that my mind conjured up to torture me."

"No, no, I'm here!" Kíli cried out in despair. She'd never given such a detailed description of what she felt, and he followed the lead greedily. "Tell me where to go, and I'm bringing you back to me!"

"Kiss me," Tauriel answered, and her face relaxed, as if she was too tired to continue this conversation.

"But I did that already," Kíli said, perplexed.

Tauriel glanced up at him from under her lashes, her eyebrows curling in sad amusement.

"No, you never do."

Kíli racked his brain trying to decipher her meaning, but she was closing her eyes already, and who knew when she would emerge again. He had to keep her awake: he can't waste the gift of her current almost-clarity! He kissed her forehead again. Her eyes fluttered, but tears of disappointment welled up in her eyes.

"I'm so foolish." Her lips quivered. "Kee, I'm so foolish. You're still just a shadow, a soft brush of wind on my conscious, and I'm too far gone." Finally, she opened her eyes, turning in Kíli's direction, but with a faraway look, and asked: "Do you think he could've loved me?"

He touched her forehead with his thumb, still wondering what he was doing wrong. She didn't react, and he drew his hand lower, stroking her cheeks and finally cupping her face. She looked so serene and frightened; nothing like the fierce warrior he fell in love with! She'd lost the fight, the passion… Kíli felt a wave of anger wash over him.

He can't lose her without telling her.

"I love you," he said, just in case she never woke again. Her eyes shot open, focusing on him with clear surprise, and in the spur of the moment, Kíli crushed his mouth to hers.

He tried to be gentle. He truly wanted to, but at the moment their lips met, passion overcame him with brutal force, and his desire for her demanded to be satisfied after a year of longing. He felt her hands clasp on his shoulders, dragging him down, closer, and that spurred him to ask for permission for more. He teased her with his tongue and nibbled on her lower lip until she gasped, allowing him a free way. His tongue slid inside, immediately embracing hers, inviting her for a dance they once enjoyed so much. However, her moment of hesitation discouraged Kíli. (He shouldn't be doing this. She's not herself, he's using her.) He wanted to withdraw, but only for one more moment he wanted to feel their closeness, to hold her tightly in his arms, before he let her go.

One more moment. He pulled his tongue back, but couldn't resist giving her one more… and well, another quick peck on the lips.

"I love you so," he sighed, touching his forehead to hers.

Something was wrong though. The force of her grip on his shoulders increased, and she was desperately gasping for air. Her reaction scared Kíli: maybe this was the end? Is she finally succumbing to her fate, or, even worse, did _he_ push her over the ledge?

"Are you truly here?" she asked, when she regained control over her breathing. She stared at him, taking in his face in bewilderment, then closed back her eyes, only to blink again a couple times.

The faraway look was gone. Her gaze was clearly focused on him, still, Kíli stared back suspiciously. Were his senses deceiving him? She patted over his arms, grabbing his muscles needily.

"Kíli? Am I dead?"

Kíli shook his head.

"I don't think so."

* * *

 **A/N:** It seems Varni won't escape, and Tauriel woke up - I think our dwarves are beginning to move in the right direction, aren't they?


	18. Plans for the Future

**A/N:** **I guess everyone has found every chapter by now?**

(Just in case you missed it: I replaced the original chapter 15 with a rewritten version, then cut it in two. There's a scene with Fíli and Bard that wasn't there in the first version.)

Here's chapter 18! With elves, Bard, Sigrid and the cartographer!

* * *

 **Plans for the Future**

"Does this mean that you're finished?"

The elf considered his answer. "Yes. Although we are still waiting for…"

"The first round of cargo, yes."

Fíli did everything to swallow back the snickering, but a small smile escaped nonetheless. The meeting with the elves wasn't how he wanted to spend his morning, but they were to conclude their business soon. They bored him to death with a tedious report about what they'd done, but at least he was prepared and managed to annoy them by constantly cutting in, replacing their lengthy, self-flattering explanations with concise summaries.

"Yes, the first cargo. They are bringing…"

"…different sorts of plants, am I right?" The elf nodded, looking flustered, but didn't dare to reprimand the king for the repeated interruption. "That's the last stage of your work: plant the saplings, which will refresh the ground." _And then, they go home, peace is restored and Thorin won't take back the throne,_ he added in his mind.

"Not exactly," the elf answered smugly. "You forget the part where we need to teach the Men of Dale how to care for the lands after we leave."

"Ah, right," Fíli sighed. That didn't really concern him. The lands were on dwarven territory, but according to his arrangement with Bard, dwarves are going to rent out the lands to men, who are willing to work on the fields. He pushed Bard closer to the elves. "You two should discuss the details."

Bard shot him a vengeful glare.

"Maybe I'll make an appointment for you with Sigrid," Bard suggested, before the elf opened his mouth to speak again. "She oversees the education of our people, and I think she's more suited to help you than I am," he finished awkwardly to Fíli's amusement.

"Good!" Haldír spoke, clapping his hands together, not less bored by the discussion than Fíli or Bard. "It seems we're finished for today!"

Fíli furrowed his brows.

"Are we keeping you from something?"

Haldír's eagerness evaporated in a second, replaced by a mask of indifference.

"No, Your Majesty," he answered. Since the fake-dragon fiasco, he took his intermediary role rather seriously.

Fíli studied him silently, not wanting to jeopardize their tentative friendship with a mistaken comment. Haldír surprised not only him, but every dwarf he encountered, by how well he managed to fit in. Even Raya praised him for the Sindarin lessons he gave her every second day. A lot depended on him now: if Haldír went home with favorable impressions, then Fíli and Bard can call this visit a success. If they alienated him in these last days, and the alliance with Lórien failed, then Mahal help them – Thorin surely wouldn't keep his opinion to himself! Fortunately, the rest of the elves were stoic, and kept mostly to themselves. They were satisfied if they were left to work in peace; although, after the fake-dragon fiasco, a lot of dwarves came to observe them (some under official order, but most only to satisfy their curiosity). Fíli had a hard time getting these onlookers away from the fields before they bothered the elves.

Fíli looked at the Lonely Mountain looming over them. This time next year, there would be no reminders of the desolation of Smaug. He watched as the elves started packing away the tents where they kept their books, tools and magicky stuff during the last weeks. He looked at Bard: he seemed to be as tense as him, but also relieved to see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.

"Care to join me for a drink after lunch?" the tall man asked when he caught Fíli's eyes. "I'm going to need it before I tell Siggy that she has to endure them a little more!"

"Definitely," Fíli said, grinning. "Please, let me be there when you tell her!"

They invited Haldír for lunch too, and then took off in the direction of Bard's home. Raya and Sigrid were sitting on the front terrace, chatting about whatever females chatted about with each other. Though Fíli wasn't really happy about Sigrid's wish to befriend Raya, Dís encouraged them to get closer, so he relented and even offered the dwarrowdam to come with him to Dale today. He was very proud of Raya otherwise: she seemed to be getting over her grief, and Fíli couldn't help feeling self-satisfied, since he believed his idea to take elven lessons helped her greatly.

"I take it everyone stays for lunch?" Sigrid greeted them with a strained smile, as the guests sat down. When her father confirmed, she took her leave to arrange for the meal. Raya followed her, offering her help.

Haldír and Fíli were entertaining Bard by demonstrating an accident from the previous day's training. With the girls' return, they changed to more pleasant topics. Fíli lit his pipe, but Sigrid barely flinched. She didn't like smoking and didn't allow it inside the house, which was stupid, as the smoke got inside through the open windows anyway. Fíli took every opportunity to make his point about this matter.

Lunch was served on the terrace. Apparently, it was quite ordinary among men in the summer, but it reminded Fíli of the countless meager meals eaten in the wilderness. Having a roof over their head was a luxury, why waste it? As no one else seemed to have a problem, he had to speak up.

"Won't bugs fall into our food?" he asked, reluctant to eat outside.

"Why, as worms and various bugs live in the ground, aren't you dealing with this problem in your caves?" Sigrid asked with artful surprise. Bard let out a cough.

"Our halls are clean, and completely bug- and wormfree!" Fíli declared haughtily.

"How fascinating!" Sigrid exclaimed with false enthusiasm. "We deter them with specific spices in the food," she added with a vindictive smile.

Spices; Fíli flinched. Amad had used spices aplenty, whatever had grown in her garden. She always achieved pleasant flavors, and Fíli loved her cooking. He had a healthy aversion for foreign tastes though, and this smelled _exactly_ like something he'd prefer not to eat. He had a sneaking suspicion that the spices weren't used to deter bugs, but him.

The others enjoyed the food, and Fíli too helped himself to a very small amount. He noted the lack of servants: apparently, men liked to go to great length to pretend they were poor once in a while. Strange custom, but he wouldn't complain now, giving Sigrid ideas. He didn't understand her devious turn of mind: usually, she was a generous hostess, a lot more accommodating than Amad (though he wouldn't tell her that, teasing her was much funnier). Today, he felt like Sigrid deliberately tried to make him feel unwelcome.

He gave up the fight after a few bite and put down his cutlery sooner than the others, turning to Raya.

"I see you like spicy food," he commented, relighting his pipe. He needed to get the offensive taste out of his mouth. Sigrid looked unimpressed, especially when Fíli 'accidentally' exhaled the smoke in her direction, but she deserved it.

"Yes, it's delicious."

"Don't you find it strange to eat outside?"

Unfortunately, he picked a wrong ally.

"Not at all," she replied with a radiant smile. "I love the sunshine!"

He pressed his lips together in annoyance, and continued to smoke in silence.

"Sigrid, may I talk to you after the meal?" Bard asked, and Fíli smirked.

"Maybe you two can use the time for another lesson," Fíli suggested to Raya and Haldír. There was no need for them to witness this.

"Would you mind going for a walk?" the elf asked and Raya eagerly agreed.

When Bard finished his meal, he fiddled with his cup of water, probably wishing for something stronger. He cautiously inquired about Sigrid's day, suggesting retiring to the house, before telling her about the glorious task of cooperating with the elves. She respected their superior knowledge, but was acutely aware of their tendency to bore mortal beings to death. Thus, she wasn't happy with the task, and especially unhappy with Fíli's presence. (He neglected to hide his amusement while watching the scene, which angered Sigrid.)

Bard, with an unexpected spark of tactical genius, redirected Sigrid's wrath from himself to Fíli, which resulted in a lot of insults, until Bard had enough. The traitor was having the laugh of his life at the beginning, but when Fíli and Sigrid was standing nose to nose, hands fisted in anger, he got up and separated them. He scolded them and called them unruly children.

Sigrid stormed out.

Fíli scowled, but Bard thought he was easier to recompense than Sigrid. He pulled out a brand new bottle of Best Friend. Over a cup, they resolved their differences, but the conversation took another unpleasant turn.

Bard learnt about the cartographer.

They were just joking about Seenia and women in general, trying to come up with ideas how Bard can placate his daughter. Then Fíli mentioned her, capturing Bard's interest fully.

"I haven't heard of her," he said, furrowing his brows. Fíli praised her talents, and the man was now wondering if she could be of help in Dale. "Does she have a name?"

Fíli grudgingly admitted that he didn't know her name, and how ridiculous it would be to ask now. They'd met several times already, everybody thought that they were sort-of-friends!

Bard found it hilarious (he expressed it at great length), and after picking up Raya, Fíli was still seething on the way back home. He briefly inquired about Raya's elven studies, and if Haldír shared his impressions with her. She firmly reassured him that everything was going fine. She seemed distracted, but as Fíli had his own troubles to mull over, he let her be for now. He was forming a plan to find out the cartographer's name, which didn't involve asking and wouldn't reveal his inattention.

Back under the mountain, his council kept him up for a while, but he was useless as he only wanted to get back to his study, where he kept the reports and maps of the river. Surely her name must be somewhere in those documents!

By dinnertime, chaos ruled in his study.

He immediately found the last few reports, but to his chagrin, everything arrived under Master Brohn's name, who was the leader of the expert team. He groaned, and started to flip through them, to no avail. After careful observation, he was now able to discern her work from the rest, but it seemed Master Brohn was taking all the glory. The quest to find her name this way seemed pointless.

With a frustrated grunt, Fíli decided to take a little rest. He poured himself a large cup of Best Friend, and slowly sipping it, he changed out of the clothes he wore all day, put on a comfortable shirt and trousers, and wrapped himself in a robe, forgetting about royal splendor. He released his hair from the braids too – he wasn't in a state of mind to go out tonight.

He returned to the pile of documents considerably calmer. He settled down on the bearskin in front of the fireplace, spread out the sheets of maps and searched meticulously for a name. Any dwarf would be proud of such skill and talent! Why did she allow Master Brohn take all the credit? He admired the detailed pictures and suddenly saw the Lonely Mountain from a new point of view. He hadn't taken the time to thoroughly check the maps before, only relying on the short descriptions she always attached, but now, he saw his mountain naked before his eyes, the secrets uncovered by her simple, yet elegant lines.

A knock on the door disturbed his peace, and he hoped the visitor didn't come to insist on taking him to the Courting Hall.

"Amad?" He was surprised to find her here. "Aren't you supposed to watch over your dinner party?"

"Aren't you supposed to be there?" came the snarky reply. "It doesn't matter," she held up her palm to halt his excuses. Her face turned serious, and she grabbed the doorjamb, asking: "Is there any news of Kíli?"

Fíli rubbed his eyes.

"No, Amad, nothing."

"Didn't Thranduil mention him in your monthly correspondence?"

"No, Amad, he didn't."

She hung her head in disappointment. Fíli gently put his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry so. He'll be fine, I promise. If he's not at home by the time the elves leave, I'll pay a visit to the Elvenking myself."

Dís shook her head.

"I can't stop worrying! That's what mothers do." She fiddled with the sleeves of her dress, finally admitting her biggest worry: "I wish he wouldn't have gone without a word. I didn't even give him a spellstone."

Fíli fought his oncoming laugh: now he understood what bothered her so!

"If it makes you feel better, I can take one to him if I have to go."

Dís, sad and grateful at the same time, smiled at him.

"I should go to the party. Someone has to watch over that lovestruck, horny bunch!" she scoffed good-naturedly. She looked him over from head to toe. "I guess you're staying in?"

Fíli raised an eyebrow as an answer.

"Alright, I don't care to hear your excuses! At least can you spare us another moment and look up a free period in your schedule? The young lady has a few ideas you'd be interested to hear."

Suddenly, Amad dragged forward the cartographer, who was hiding on the corridor, giving them the semblance of privacy to talk about family matters. For her to appear here with his mother, exactly when he was searching for her name, he wondered what forces were in play. Not for the first time in his life, he wondered if his mother was a witch – with the spellstones and herbs and the timely appearances, he wouldn't find it terribly surprising.

"Of course. Actually, I'm free now, if you are too," he suggested.

The cartographer's eyes lingered on his hair. He touched the top of his head, mortified by the discovery that he'd left it hang and tangle freely. He usually made an effort to look put together, but she seemed to have a knack for catching him in a less than proper attire. He cleared his throat, fighting his embarrassment, especially when her gaze slid to his clothing. She seemed fascinated, but drew a blank face when their eyes met. She shot a glance at Dís, who encouraged her with a nod.

"I'm free," she confirmed.

Fíli invited her in and said goodbye to his mother.

"How can I help you now?" he asked after closing the door. He went to retrieve his drink. "Did you find the perfect place for your new kitchen? Or would you like to relocate to a gem-filled cave and you need royal assistance to make it a home?"

He flushed. He was rambling. She was standing in the middle of the room awkwardly, stealing glances at the objects, but not moving to touch or inspect anything.

"I don't want a gem-filled home," she answered. "I only brought your mother over, because she was worried, but didn't want to harass you again. So she harassed me."

Fíli took a long gulp to distract himself and ease his guilt. She continued:

"I've made some progress with the river. Its course is almost fully mapped, except for the parts above the inhabited levels."

"That's very good," he assured her.

She was still standing stiffly where she stopped, looking very uncertain. Her eyes wandered to the cup Fíli was holding, and he decided to offer her a drink. Maybe she'll loosen up. For a fleeting moment, he thought to take her to the room he'd shown to Bard, but the idea of her being in the queen's dressing room made him as uncomfortable as she looked now.

"Want some?"

At the sight of the Best Friend bottle, her eyes sparkled up.

"Yes, thank you."

After passing her the drink, he went to clear up some place to sit – the armchairs in front of the fireplace were covered with her reports and maps. Her face lit up when she noticed them, but didn't comment.

"I was going through your stuff already, so we can start discussing whatever you want, if you want to," Fíli said, watching her from the corner of his eyes. She shrugged nonchalantly. She sat down, trying her best to look casual, but she couldn't stop fidgeting.

This was a moment when Fíli could have asked her name; the question was on the tip of his tongue, truly. But the way she was sitting there, clutching her cup and nervously touching it to her lips without drinking a single drop, while her eyes were fluttering around the room, stopped him. She looked ready to bolt, and he didn't want to scare her away. She reminded Fíli of a wild forest animal, when sensing foreign presence. He raided his desk for his secret stash of snacks, and quickly put a handful of candy and dried fruit in a bowl. Patience and food worked with skittish animals (as well as getting Kíli to stay put), so maybe it can work now.

"I hope you're not very hungry, because I don't have any real food, but help yourself," he said, putting the bowl in front of her. He was right: she studied it suspiciously, but when Fíli took one, she did too. She inspected it carefully before popping it into her mouth.

"Lórien mint candy?" she asked.

Fíli shrugged. "Don't spread the word, but I like it."

"Me too. Is this why you are so insistent on befriending the elves?" Something changed in her tone that told Fíli that the initial awkwardness was gone.

"You got me!" he joked, and he was pleased to see her attempting a smile. "Not everything that comes from elves is bad."

She seemed to agree with it, so Fíli finally relaxed. She focused on the content of the bowl again, her hand hovering over it, waiting for the right moment to pick up the perfect piece. Her fingers were strong and agile, her nails short and well-groomed. Fíli wondered if she took as great care to keep the skin soft on her hands as on her back.

Realizing what he was thinking about shocked him, and he had a sudden urge to get rid of her as soon as possible.

"So, what are these ideas Amad spoke about?"

"Oh, it's the river-regulation. You already know of it, I just made progress," she said, swallowing visibly all that was stuffed in her mouth. She reached out and flipped through the stack of her previous maps, picking out whichever she deemed sufficient. She explained where the current of the river was the strongest, and they looked for spaces large enough for their plans. Fíli was completely engrossed by her animated speech. He marveled at her knowledge of the Lonely Mountain, wishing to see for himself everything she spoke about. They discussed what could be done and where should they connect the plumbing system. Fíli took notes, preparing to bring up the topic in front of the council when the elves are gone.

"I have one specific demand," she said at last. "There's a waterfall here." She pointed at the lower part of the mountain, which hadn't been cleared yet. "I want it gone."

Fíli raised his eyebrows. This passionate outburst wasn't in line with the personality she'd shown so far.

"You're the one making the river-regulation plan."

"I know, it's just… well… It's not strictly necessary, nor useful to remove it…" She was getting flustered, and Fíli leaned forward, curious about this place.

"Is it ruining the balance? Is it ugly? Or do you have a personal grudge against it?"

"That's the one!" she exclaimed, flinching in disgust. "The personal grudge. I want it removed."

"Why? What could a waterfall do against you?" Fíli asked, barely able to stifle his laugh.

"It's a love-nest!" she growled. She graced Fíli with her special derisive glare, but he found it endearing now, reveling in its familiarity. "It's disgusting. Had I known about this Spring Tour nonsense, I wouldn't have stayed. These lovebirds are everywhere! They are constantly looking for secluded places, and I don't even want to count how many couples I've stumbled upon during work!"

A low chuckle escaped Fíli's lips. A betrayed expression spread over the cartographer's face.

"The worst of it is that Dís is actually interested in what I see! So now, I report everything that I discover about the Spring Tour participants to her."

"Are you passing Amad the gossip?" Fíli found it hilarious: Amad had always been exceptionally resourceful. "Care to share any?" he winked at the cartographer.

She crossed her arms on her chest; she looked like she wanted to jump up from her seat, but stopped herself on the edge.

"Definitely no! Go and find out for yourself, if you care so much!"

"But I'm paying you for your knowledge!" he asked hopefully. The Spring Tour was tremendously funnier from the outside.

"Technically, your mother is paying me," she corrected. "I doubt you have any idea how much."

"Semantics. Won't you tell me anything?"

"Why would I?"

Her words felt like a slap. Fíli thought he was the ultimate ruler of this mountain, but it seemed a lot escaped his notice and people actively worked to keep things hidden.

"They are petty. They are jealous, tetchy, wrapped up in their dreams of legendary love and purposefully misunderstanding everything, only to create drama," she listed. "If we find something that concerns you, we'll tell, but until then, you can leave such trivial matters to those who have nothing better to do."

Fíli snorted. With a few words, a nameless dwarrowdam stripped him of every sense of power.

"Don't _you_ have anything better to do?"

She glared at him. "I do! They are disrupting my work. Getting extra payment for my troubles is the least Dís can do! I'm drowning in the shallowness I endure all the time. I'm not even participating!"

"Yeah, lucky me, for I do!" Fíli grumbled. "It's worse on the inside," he declared, consuming the rest of his drink in one swing.

"I wish they would leave me alone. The mountain is a lot more interesting," she said wistfully, picking up one of her drawings. "Erebor is so beautiful and so willing to help us prosper! I wish I weren't the only one to see that."

"I see that too!" Fíli argued.

She tilted her head to see if he truly meant what he said, then answered with palpable disbelief.

"You understand awfully little about your mountain," she claimed.

Fíli stared at her, dumbfounded. She stood, sloshing her drink around in her cup, hesitant to leave or to stay.

"Sorry for speaking out of turn, but I could show you so much!" she said with a final surge of courage, which disappeared quickly. She fidgeted nervously – probably she hadn't rehearsed this idea with Dís before. "I think I should go."

Fíli, desperate not to drive her away, blurted out:

"I'd love that!"

"Good, good," she muttered, finishing her drink and inconspicuously moving in the direction of the exit. "Then I guess I'll see you around sometime," she said, before disappearing with a hurried "Bye!"

* * *

 **A/N:** Oh, the elves are leaving soon! Thank Mahal. Hopefully, they won't cause any trouble until then, or will they?

Now, please, write a few words in the box below, since it's the only payment a fanfic writer gets! (Although a follow/favorite can make me very happy too.)

 **IF** you don't know what to write about, here's a **question:**

 **Are you interested to see where Raya and Haldír went after lunch?**

I wanted to write the first part of the chapter from Raya's pov, but it got too long, and the characters developed their own willpower. The scene isn't strictly part of the story, but if you're interested to read it, I can publish it.

 **All you have to do is say so in a review! If I get at least three 'yes' before thursday, I'll publish it.**

 **Thanks for reading! _SV_**


	19. Tricked out of Love

**Tricked out of Love**

Kasia and Zaz sat locked in Raya's room, since they needed a safe place for plotting, and their friend went to see the elf again.

Zaz thought Varni was an idiot, since she managed to wrap him around her fingers in under a week.

Kasia wasn't so hasty to underestimate him: he'd caught Alin unaware after all.

They watched him for a few days after Alin told them what happened. In Kasia's opinion, Varni knew exactly what he was doing, he only lacked one crucial piece of information: the existence of Alin's lover.

"He's preying on the innocent," Kasia realized. "I was way too vulgar, he must have realized that he can't fool me with sweet words and holding hands."

"And he's after money," Zaz added. "He's constantly questioning me about my father's business and my dowry. He's very subtle, but as much as I hate to talk about my folks, I did notice."

"But Alin loves her family. Probably she happily shared everything." Alin was the perfect victim for him. "I knew he can't be as rich as he says! He's too quiet for that. Dwarves like to show off their wealth. If he was honest, he wouldn't creep around alone," said Kasia, proud of her early deduction.

"He still fell for the easiest tricks," Zaz smirked. "Round eyes, an air of constant astonishment, some displeased pouting and he's done. He acts like he's my savior, and he thinks I've totally fallen for him."

"Good job. He'll be in for a surprise!"

"I wish you could've been there," Zaz sighed.

The hardest part of their plan was to feign a discord between them: Varni wouldn't come close to Kasia, but their quarrel proved to be a great excuse to play the damsel in distress. Zaz stayed away from their friends, and Varni immediately approached the sad, lonely dwarrowdam. The fact that Zaz wore an obscene amount of tingling golden jewelry probably attracted him too.

"Must have been fun," Kasia mumbled, as she unfolded the map she borrowed from Fíli.

" _Would_ have been," Zaz corrected. "It was tedious. He's so… flat. He goes on and on about his merchandise, but I bet it's all fake. I hope it's going to be over soon."

"Don't worry, we'll just have to find a place, and you can take him out for a stroll."

"While you're taking the king for a stroll."

Kasia sighed at hearing Zaz's accusing tone. "I've been meeting with guys lately, apart from dinner too," she said. Zaz accepted her answer. "Now help me make sense of this…"

"You're holding it upside down."

Zaz took the map from her friend. She admired the exquisite quality, and quickly identified which part of the mountain they were seeing.

"So we should do it on the lower levels?"

"Yes. Alin said he knows about the waterfall place. That would be the simplest. Didn't he offer to take you there?"

"Not yet."

"Too bad. Anyway, he won't try anything near our corridors, nor near the market. The higher levels are heavily guarded, so maybe you should bat your eyelashes and suggest showing him something a friend told you about and you daren't go there alone."

Zaz wrinkled her forehead. "Care to show me such a place?"

Kasia shrugged. Kíli took her to places, where no one else went. She searched her memory for something.

"I've got one! There's a terrace, you can go up there to watch the sunset. It's romantic enough, and it's during dinnertime, the corridors will be empty and everyone involved with the Spring Tour is going to be in the Courting Hall."

"Except for you and our dear king. If he gets me out of Varni's clutches in time, I give you my blessings to do whatever you want to do with him," Zaz declared happily.

Kaisa drew her brows together, hiding her smile behind a grimace. "I thought you find him ghostly!"

"Well, at least he's a trustworthy ghost. You're welcome to him."

"I still think he should fall in love with Raya."

"He's passing her off to the elves," Zaz snorted in disgust. "Not that she's protesting a lot!"

Kasia shook her head, watching the map.

"So, care to explain me what we're seeing here and where should we catch you two in the act?"

* * *

"Out!" Kíli growled, trying to push the door closed, but the sneaky elven princeling managed to slide his foot inside.

"Let me in!" Legolas growled on the other side. "It's my home, she's my friend, my responsibility!"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but when you brought me here, you made her _my_ responsibility!" Kíli sneered. "She's asleep, for Mahal's sake, come back later!"

Kíli didn't understand Legolas' answer as he spoke in his own language, but it sounded very violent and did little to stir any compassion in Kíli's heart.

"I will be quiet!" Legolas pleaded, but Kíli wouldn't relent. He felt as the elf's hold relaxed, trying to lull him into a false sense of security, but Kíli was counting on this trick. He stood aside, letting Legolas fall face first on the floor when he tried to kick in the door. Kíli found great amusement in his humiliation.

"Kíli!"

Though her voice was quiet and weak, Tauriel's call immediately redirected Kíli's attention from the visitor to her.

"Yes, Love, I'm here!" he answered, skipping over the fallen elf in a hurry to get to her. Legolas didn't miss the opportunity though and tripped him. The loud thud of his crash woke Tauriel completely.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Her voice might have been weak, but her tone carried the confidence of Mirkwood's Captain of the Guard. Both Kíli and Legolas jumped to their feet, casting their eyes down.

Tauriel was sitting up in bed. The sound of shuffling sheets reminded Kíli of why he was here, so he went to assist her.

Legolas stood awkwardly, looking flustered as he glanced at her occasionally. Kíli decided to ignore him for now, as she refused to address him.

"How are you this morning, Love?" he asked, sitting down on the bed next to her.

Tauriel sank back into her pillow. Kíli checked the clarity of her gaze: he was very happy when she first woke up, but it wasn't exactly permanent state. Sometimes she wandered to the dreamland she had been visiting, and Kíli had to coax her back a few times during the last week. These occasions grew rarer, which gave reason for optimism, Kíli reckoned.

"Tauriel?"

Legolas, overwhelmed by his feelings, choked on her name. He had the good sense to stay in one place until someone instructed him to go closer.

"See, what you did here?" Kíli's words carried accusation, as well as mirthful righteousness. "You woke her! I told you to come back later!"

The elf's jaw tensed, but he bit back whatever insults he aimed at Kíli.

"Tauriel," Legolas started again, more in control of his emotions this time. "It's me, Legolas. Your friend. Talk to me! Are you feeling better?"

Tauriel blinked quickly several times. Her forehead was wrinkled by the concentration, as she searched her brain for the relevant memories. Her long silence crushed Legolas' hopes, and for a moment, Kíli felt sorry for him.

To be fair, Legolas visited her daily. Kíli even told him that Tauriel woke up a mere three days after it happened. He only waited for so long because he wanted to make sure that she stayed awake – and partly, because he wanted to keep her for himself, at least for a little while. The pixie's joy seemed genuine, but he was unlucky enough to visit only when she was sleeping. (She slept a lot these days.)

Kíli put a sympathetic hand on Legolas' elbow, steering him toward the door.

"She's barely woken. She needs a little time. You should come back later."

"Later!" the elf snapped. "How much longer shall I wait?!"

"I don't know," Kíli answered honestly.

"I swear, if you're playing me, Dwarf…"

"Yes, yes, I know, you're very threatening!" Kíli replied, unfazed by his ire. The elf wouldn't harm him in front of Tauriel, and probably wouldn't kill him while Tauriel needed help. He finally shut the door in his face, and turned back to Tauriel with a deep sigh.

"Now that we're finally alone, let me help you out of the bed!"

Tauriel followed his approach with her eyes.

"I'm losing you, aren't I?" she asked, reaching up for him, but changing her mind midway. Kíli quickly caught her hand before she lost hope again. "I thought I've seen my old friend here."

"I'm here. You're here," he declared with confidence he didn't possess. She looked to be on the verge of scurrying back into her dreams. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her palm. "Aaand… I loath to admit, but I may be the cause of your confusion. Legolas was indeed here, but I kicked him out."

She looked perplexed by this occurrence, but Kíli had already learnt that he shouldn't let her focus wander.

"I'm here," he said firmly. "I'm going to help you sit up."

As if under a spell, Tauriel complied with everything. Kíli secured her with his fingers spread out under her upper back, and though she sat up on her own, she leaned into his touch. She shot a wistful glance at her hand, still held by his. She moved her fingers to check if they still submitted to her will, and Kíli tickled her palm. She tried to pull away, finding the sensation bewildering, but Kíli caught the tip of her fingers, letting out a low, rumbling chuckle.

"I got you!"

She turned back to face him, and he happily noticed a blush coloring her curious expression.

"Talk to me, Love," he asked, allowing his hand on her back to slide lower.

"I miss you."

"Well, you can stop missing me, since I'm here and I'm not letting you go."

"I can't be sure. Are you a trick, luring me out only to strike me down? Can you truly be here?"

"I can."

Such discussions were part of their new morning routine. Tauriel needed reassurances about the reality of what she perceived. She told Kíli about the things she'd seen and how she found clues to decide if things were real or fake. They played children's games to describe objects in the room; it helped anchoring her to the present. When she took too long to speak, Kíli distracted her with quick, stolen kisses. Kisses seemed to do the trick every time: based on her mumblings, she must have felt the same spark as Kíli when their lips locked, and it confirmed his identity, his presence for her.

Tauriel was trying to reconcile with the new information now. She was biting her lips, but as they were chapped, she let out a surprised hiss.

"Ouch, that hurts," Kíli commented, smiling at her and tracing her lips with his thumb. She flinched. "Sorry. My hands are a bit too rough it seems," he chuckled, seeing her pouty expression. "Maybe I should touch them with something softer?" he asked hesitantly,gently stroking her face with his fingers. His hand was so large and her features so delicate: suddenly, he felt very self-conscious, afraid that his strength would hurt her.

"Maybe you should do that!" she suggested. Kíli hesitated, only to admire her playful, love-filled gaze. It was amazing how fast she was recovering: every day she needed less convincing, and oh, the happiness she radiated, when she realized that she was back, she was real!

She got bored of waiting, so she took charge. Her kiss started out awkwardly because of her sensitive lips, but the intention lit up the old spark in Kíli's heart, which had made him chase after her.

He'd always imagined that they would dance across the world, chasing each other; how the longing, the thrill of the hunt and the battles they fight on the way would feed the flames of their passion. Finding her so weak and nursing her back to health didn't really fit with these daydreams (she was supposed to be impulsive and invincible, while he didn't have a clue about attending to others' needs), but a tiny part of him recognized now this Mirkwood-trip as it truly was: a battle that they fought side by side against death.

Tauriel was restless. She wanted to get out, to see the world, to see what changed.

"I haven't been outside for months!"

Kíli wanted to object, since these months had drained her energy and while her spirit seemed to be already recovered, her body wasn't.

"You shouldn't strain yourself," Kíli said, but he already knew that he'd lose the argument.

"Oh, but I miss the sunshine and the warm summer air!" Tauriel pleaded. "And the new leaves vibrating with fresh life, surely it will do me good!"

Kíli laughed. He found it hard to say no to her.

"Fine, I'll get you outside," he agreed with a heavy heart and started pacing. He knew fully that he wouldn't be able to keep this promise. He was reckless and impulsive, but he realized that should he walk out of this room, he would be arrested immediately.

"Then let's go!" Tauriel exclaimed.

"Not so fast," Kíli said, looking up at her, when she interrupted his pacing. "I may get into a bit of a trouble."

Her crushed expression decided his inner debate. No matter what happens, he'll keep her happy, even if he has to make nice with Elvenboy.

"Maybe we can talk to your old friend about it." He hoped the pixie would turn up soon, now that he'd seen Tauriel waking up.

"Great!" she laughed, plopping down on the bed. Kíli joined her. Seeing his disgruntled face, she gave him a peck on his cheek. "Don't sulk. He's not that bad."

Kíli snorted. "Don't bet your life on it!" He'd already told her the story of his arrival here. She pointed out the uncomfortable truth that he would act the same way, if he found Legolas lurking around their mountain. "He surely wasn't happy to see me! He only put me here so I can watch you die!"

"You are a miracle worker!" She hugged him from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder. Kíli leaned into her comforting embrace, but he couldn't let his antagonistic feelings go.

"I don't trust him," he declared.

"Dwarves are suspicious by nature," she countered.

"Yes, but we endure and push back and stand proud in the end! We don't get fooled by our foes."

"He's not your foe!"

"Is he not?" Kíli stood angrily. "He's your friend, I get it. But he's certainly not _mine_! We don't know where he stands in this whole mess."

"What mess?"

In his agitation, Kíli didn't notice the tears welling up in her eyes. He was dragging his hand through his hair, looking for words to express his concerns.

"Tauriel, you must know that I love you." She nodded. "And I have a hunch that it's mutual." He winked at her, content to see her face softening. "Then why did you not came to see me after the battle?"

Her stricken expression told him that these weren't the right words.

"I'm sorry! I truly am!" she answered, choking on her tears. "They told me that you wouldn't see me. I should've gone anyway!"

"Shhh, it's alright. It's not your fault!" He kissed her forehead while gently drawing soothing patterns on her back with his hand as he'd seen Fíli do it to Mum. It worked rather well, since Tauriel's sobbing stopped.

"It's not your fault. I could've come sooner, but I didn't, because I thought you'd left me."

"Why would I do that?" she asked, horrified by the notion.

"I don't know, that's what I was asking from anyone who cared to listen, but everyone kept repeating simply that you left."

"Yes, because I was told that you wouldn't see me! I had nowhere to go, so I returned to my home."

"Yes, but I was passed out and feverish. There's no way that I was able to speak for myself coherently. I wasn't capable of relaying any message, not even one concerning you," Kíli explained, his voice raw by the suppressed fury.

A shadow of understanding flickered in her eyes.

"You think we were deliberately kept apart."

Kíli nodded.

"I'm starting to get what Fíli was hinting at all the time. You see, _you_ have friends, and _I_ have friends, but _we_ don't have any friends."

* * *

"Have you ever done something you later regretted?" Fíli asked Ronen. Amad's distressed visit still haunted him a week later.

"No," he answered stoically.

Fíli snorted in disbelief. Ronen was such an upstanding fellow! He'd never done any wrong in his life, and he'd never caused any trouble.

"It must be Mahal's blessing to be as honest as you are," Fíli commented sarcastically.

"It must be," Ronen agreed, but Fíli detected a small amount of sarcasm in his voice too.

"Oh, please, do tell me about the trials of a true heart!"

Ronen suddenly found the floor very interesting, but he answered his king nonetheless.

"Guarding you can be a trying task, Your Majesty."

"Honest as always," Fíli commented theatrically, a little taken aback by his forwardness. Maybe Ronen wasn't randomly chosen for him. Maybe he should stop abusing his power over the most loyal person in Erebor. He couldn't take back the cutting edge of his previous words, but he added a little praise: "If this is the case, I appreciate your tenacity."

Ronen thanked him, and followed the young king on his way.

Fíli had an appointment with Kasia – she specified no reason, but was very insistent. Despite the apparent urgency, she bothered him for chatting about trivial things.

He was about to conclude business with the elves: the cargo arrived, the goods got distributed, only the seedlings for the lands remained on the wagons. As they got closer to the day of their departure, his wish to see them gone grew exponentially. He became more anxious day by day, and wanted to ignore anything not closely related to this project.

Kasia, usually so perceptive, didn't notice his tetchy mood. Fíli tried to ask Ronen for help in Iglishmek, but Ronen either didn't see the signs, or he felt a little payback wouldn't taint his reliable image. Anyway, Fíli was looking for an acceptable excuse to ditch her, when they heard a noise.

Both Ronen and Fíli tensed, recognizing the sounds of a scuffle. They heard the scared protestations of a female voice, and they both run off in that direction. Ronen was faster, grabbing the dwarf and pulling him off of the dwarrowdam, just as she screamed for help.

The situation was quite obvious.

They arrested the dwarf while Kasia took the dwarrowdam for a checkup in the infirmary. Fíli appreciated her calm countenance: the dwarrowdam was her best friend, she had every reason to freak out, but she did what she was told, while Fíli went to notify Amad and Vera. He had no illusions: they took their responsibility for the Spring Tour participants seriously, and they wouldn't let such an action go unpunished.

He hoped the elves would be gone before his trial.

* * *

 **A/N:** Here's the new chapter! Tauriel is on the mend now, but will they have the strength to take their chance despite the odds? And Varni got caught. Finally. He's in the dungeons and won't cause more trouble now - or will he?

I hope you liked the chapter - drop me a review!

To **guest** : Thank you for the answer! Unfortunately, the idea didn't attract enough interest, so I won't bother with the editing.


	20. Until Proven Innocent

**Until Proven Innocent**

The Courting Hall was mostly dark, the only brightness coming from the temporary stage installed in the end of the room. Dís spent the last week by rounding up a few theatrically inclined volunteers to perform a comedy, who were now enjoying the spotlight. Fíli would have been interested in watching them, except for the small detail that Seenia got the lead role, and he didn't want to leave her with the impression that he cared.

Amad was easy to find in the first row, but hard to reach.

"We have a situation concerning the Spring Tour," Fíli said before she could ask anything, when Ronen managed to get her outside. He told her what happened. His senses were finely tuned to recognize her moods, and he rarely saw her so furious.

"I'll get Vera, she'll need to be there too. We'll see Zaz first, but I want Dwalin for the questioning. Maybe get Nori too. I don't know how he passed our background check, but I don't trust any outsider right now!"

Fíli agreed. He remembered the thorough interrogation, when Amad made him sign up. Even he, the King under the Mountain and the son of the organizer had to get at least three dwarves (who had to meet certain requirements) as character witnesses, and he was interviewed about his marriage plans, his family, his views, his past and his goals for the future.

"Can't you get them too?" he asked, but Amad shook her head.

"Neither is here."

Surprisingly, Nori was easy to find, since Dori proudly shared that his wayward brother was finally gaining a good reputation, as he was dining with a respectable smith from the Iron Hills.

Nori was less than enthusiastic when he was dragged away from dinner – Fíli acknowledged with a smirk that his pretty lover was sitting around the table too.

"Anything I need to know about?" he asked curiously.

"I'm not doing anything shifty," he said defensively.

Fíli sighed. "I'm not accusing you of anything, I just couldn't help noticing the two lasses there…"

Nori narrowed his eyes. "As if. Do I look like a settling down type?"

Fíli shrugged. "You don't know until you don't try."

"Trust me, I'm better off alone."

Fíli really wanted to say something encouraging. He'd been to dinner with Flor's parents quite often, yet nothing came out of it. He truly hoped they'll stay together, but Nori ended the discussion and hurried off, claiming to be able to find his way to the dungeons by himself.

The young king didn't protest, having enough on his mind as no one had any idea of Dwalin's whereabouts. He wasn't at home, nor in the tavern he usually favored. He even sent Ronen to check Liv's room, but it was empty. Instead of wasting more time, Fíli went to find his mother.

"I need the services of your cartographer. Or should I say spy?" he asked impertinently. As it was a stressful time, Amad didn't argue, only gave him directions to her home, and turned her attention back to the assaulted dwarrowdam.

Fíli followed the directions. He was hoping to get a glance of where she lived: he imagined her in a puritan environment just as easily as surrounded by luxury. She lived in the higher levels, which pointed to the latter. He ordered Ronen to stay behind – this exchange was potentially humiliating, as she had a tendency to make a fool out of him. He knocked and waited: she opened the door quickly.

"Oh, Your Majesty."

He would've been happier with a warmer welcome, but he wasn't here to socialize.

"I was hoping…" What was he hoping for? To get a look inside? To earn an invitation to her home? For what end? She waited patiently until he gathered his thoughts. "…that you can help me locate Dwalin. I'm sorry for the interruption."

She shot a glance inside the room before stepping outside, adjusting the door so he couldn't see in.

"Now?"

"The sooner – the better. He's needed in the…"

He caught himself just in time. He almost spilled the whole story accidentally.

"…as soon as possible. Do you have any idea where to find him?"

She looked thoughtful, as if counting the possible places in her mind.

"I think I know where he is," she said. "Wait a moment, I'll get my coat."

They walked down a few levels. She moved confidently, and he admired how she seemed to know every corner instinctively. Maybe he'd really profit from a few lessons; he would never wander so deep down by himself and the reports didn't do justice to the conditions.

They were walking on rubble now; clearly, this corridor was untouched by the reconstructions. She grabbed a torch, chuckling, but not sharing the joke.

"I hope for his sake that it's important," she said as she led them across an unlit cave. Ronen almost missed a step, and she immediately admonished him. "Careful! Stalagmites are slow to grow and easily hurt."

Fíli looked around: beautiful statuesque dripstones crowded the cave. He wondered what Dwalin was doing here – and exactly where. They've been hearing a low, rumbling sound that was gradually getting stronger, and both Fíli and Ronen gasped in awe as they left the cave and entered a new one.

"It's a waterfall!" Fíli exclaimed.

"Not for long, if I have my way!" she smirked, and then hollered: "Oi!"

A few moments later, Dwalin answered:

"Get out!" he growled.

"Come out, you have a visitor!"

Dwalin appeared, watching his steps carefully on the wet cliff.

"Did he just come out from behind the water?" Fíli asked.

"Often, there is an undercutting in the soft rock behind the curtain of water. You should check it out once, until you have the chance, although I recommend you bring a partner too. It's been turned into quite a romantic place."

Fíli snorted. "No, thanks. I don't do romance."

"Me neither," she shrugged, watching Dwalin's advance with an appreciative smile. "He's moving rather gracefully."

Fíli scowled. "Do you have a crush on him?"

"Oh, I don't do crushes," she supplied nonchalantly. "Let me guess, you neither?"

"I'm glad we're on the same page."

Meanwhile, Dwalin arrived. He looked like he hadn't gotten to the good part yet, but Fíli didn't ask – Dwalin never talked about his women.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we have a situation in the dungeons."

Dwalin looked back toward the waterfall, where his partner was waiting for him.

"It's kind of urgent, and Amad needs your help."

Dwalin rarely said no to Dís. He hung his head, and disappointedly looked toward the waterfall.

"She's going to think I'm stalling," he sighed, and glared at Fíli sternly. "Don't judge!"

Fíli shrugged noncommittally. Dwalin went back to help the dwarrowdam out from behind the water and down the cliffs. It was indeed Liv as he thought.

"They look kind of good together, don't they?" the cartographer whispered.

Though Fíli felt little attraction to Liv, he had to agree. He wondered if Dwalin knew what he was doing, but when he finally worked up the courage to ask, Dwalin rewarded him with such a dark glower that he shut his mouth without uttering a word and smiled at him as if nothing happened.

Nori was sulking on the corridor, near Varni's cell.

"Why haven't you started?" Dwalin barked out.

"Why haven't you told me it's him?" Nori snapped at Fíli.

"Do you know him?"

"Should I?"

Fíli shook his head.

"If you have a problem with him, stay in the background and listen!" Dwalin growled, and went to check the prisoner, ready to start the interrogation.

Nori made a grimace behind his back. "Why is he here?"

"Dwalin?" Fíli asked, dumbfounded.

"The prisoner, obviously!" Nori was losing his cool facade, which didn't bode well for them.

"Oh, he was getting too insistent with a dwarrowdam." Color ran out of Nori's face very fast. "Do you happen to know something about it?"

"Why would I?"

"Because that's why you're here! To know things that we don't!" Fíli snapped. Nori was very effective in gaining crime-related information, but if he didn't want to cooperate, he would send him home. Amad wouldn't tolerate his games tonight, it would be best if he left before she arrived. "Didn't you hear anything?"

"About what?"

Fíli took in a deep breath, but his hand was itching to grasp a dagger and make Nori understand his point.

"About his actions or his plans."

"Where should I hear anything about it?"

Fíli shoved him to the wall. His reflexes worked fast, and the dagger flicked into his hand without particular effort.

"I'm saying it only once," Fíli hissed. "The Spring Tour is very important for Amad. If you can't be useful, you can just go back to eat your dinner and entertain that family with the pretty girls with whatever made up stories you find acceptable. I don't mind it, truly. If you stay, I want you to get something out of him."

Nori shot a disgusted look at the dagger and pushed it away carefully with one finger. He was considering his options for a moment, searching Fíli's face for clues, but Fíli was serious and Nori knew it. He swallowed visibly.

"I shouldn't be here," he said. "We've met. He knows who I am."

Fíli backed off, allowing him a comfortable space to talk.

"Whatever they say here about you or your past, doesn't matter. You know that."

"Maybe it's not a long-time-ago past."

Fíli sighed, massaging his forehead.

"Maybe it's relevant, but I don't want it to get out. Maybe you can tell me more about the case before I decide if I can help. Maybe…"

"Enough."

Nori didn't wait this time for the dagger to make an appearance. Fíli briefly described the situation he'd witnessed, and Nori finally agreed to help.

Dwalin returned.

"He's answering questions, but he talks too much. Let's skip the parts where he babbled about being in love and misunderstanding the lass; he admitted that he was after the girl's money. I think he's lying."

"He's lying. It wasn't a misunderstanding," Nori said, sounding absolutely certain.

"Then come and get the truth out of him."

"Can't."

"Getting twitchy around these bars?"

"You know how it is: once a thief, always a thief," Nori drawled, pulling out his knife to clean his nails. Dwalin's mockery didn't get him worked up at all.

"Feel free to choose one and I'll gladly lock you up."

"Thanks, I'll pass."

"Then get your ass over there and work him a little."

Nori looked at Fíli from the corner of his eye.

"Whatever is said, it stays down here!" he reaffirmed while leaving. Fíli moved, interested to see Nori's interrogation, but Dwalin blocked his path with his arm.

They heard everything anyway. They wished they didn't. Dís and Vera arrived right after he began, and they heard everything too. Varni didn't spare them from the details of their previous meeting and he threw in a few rudely lecherous comments too. Nori wore a very dark expression when he came out of the cell.

"Is he… whole?" Dwalin asked; Nori threatened Varni with removing his hands.

Nori nodded.

"Is she… alright?" Fíli asked.

"Who?"

Fíli wanted to clarify, but Dwalin's glower silenced him for the second time tonight.

"What's said here stays here," Dwalin reminded him. Fíli accepted, but still felt sick thinking of what happened to Alin. He looked at his mother. She was white as chalk, clutching her hands together on her chest. He inched closer to comfort her. Vera was pursing her lips, swearing up a storm in her mind, but following Dwalin's lead, she kept quiet.

"I think he's still lying," Nori stated nonchalantly, his eyes fixated on his nails again. "I'm pretty sure he's not working alone and it's not just about greed. My guess is that he has an employer and a deadline. The fact that he got through the supervision speaks of careful planning, but his recent actions were hasty and reek of desperation. He's firmly denying everything though."

"Let's question the character witnesses," Vera suggested, "even if we have to drag them out of bed! When I brought these girls here, I promised them a good life. This scoundrel needs to be brought to justice!"

The character witnesses couldn't say much though.

The first one, an elderly dwarrowdam, who lived next door, reassured them that Varni is such a good-hearted lad, he always helps her with daily tasks like shopping and bringing water.

Nori snorted derisively.

"It's a classic. Get inside and take whatever you can move. I bet the old hag doesn't even suspect anything missing."

The second witness was a merchant, who had (barely) known Varni from before he relocated to Erebor. The dwarf gave little useful information, but made several attempts to sell his wares to them.

The third witness was one of his employees. Bor and his brother met Varni in Erebor. The jovial dwarf started to work for him immediately upon meeting him, half a year before the Spring Tour started, while his brother tried to make his own luck, before taking the comfortable job at Varni's shop. They talked about him with utmost respect, and were shocked by learning about his crime. They even asked the visitors' opinion about opening up tomorrow.

As they've learnt nothing useful, Dwalin and Nori returned to the dungeons to discuss their further tactic. Both were convinced that he was still hiding something, and Nori's personal grudge made him unusually determined.

In the meanwhile, Fíli accompanied the ladies back to the infirmary. Since they've established that the encounter caused no physical harm to Zaz apart from bruises on her arms, and she claimed to feel comfortable with Fíli in the room, he was allowed to enter. Zaz indeed looked fine, and Fíli had a strange feeling that neither girl was too affected by what happened.

He studied Kasia with narrowed eyes. Kasia and Zaz were best friends; what a coincidence that _Kasia_ took him out and they stumbled upon the incident! When she caught his glare, he beckoned her outside.

"You set him up, didn't you?"

She looked smug. "I have no idea what you're talking about!"

Fíli grabbed her arm forcefully. "Is this a game for you?" he hissed, leaning close to her ear. "A dwarf was arrested because of your actions tonight!"

"Good. I hope he'll rot in jail!" she spat, calmly peeling his fingers off her arm.

"You can't just go and use my friendship and my power to get rid of people you don't like!"

"Come on, I did the right thing! No one was going to report him, and we needed proof."

She showed not an ounce of remorse. Fíli eased back.

"This is not the way to do it. Ask for help from the mediators or the guards."

"I took _you_ there. A thank you would be nice," she said stubbornly.

Fíli rolled his eyes.

"Fine. Thank you. Now, tell me everything."

Kasia told him Alin's story without mentioning her name. He will have words with Nori about this foolishness! He was impressed by Kasia's plan, though.

"You were the perfect person to save her," she finished. "You already have a reputation for saving helpless dwarrowdams, and as king, your word is law. Now, punish him. You will punish him, right?"

Fíli presented her with a very wide, but very fake smile. "We're on it."

"No, that's not enough!" The possibility that Varni could escape with only a slap on the hand infuriated her.

"Then help us, please," he asked, honestly. Varni will have to answer for harassing Zaz, but his motivation was off. "We suspect that he has a hidden agenda. Give us a detail, any detail that we might've missed."

Kasia thought for a moment.

"Zaz thinks his business is shady."

"We need a little more than baseless accusations."

She shrugged, and threw open the door to Zaz's room. "Hey, Zaz, tell the king about the stolen stuff!"

Zaz's cheeks flushed a deep shade of crimson. The two ladies looked at her in surprise. When Fíli made his way to her bed and sat down on a chair in front of her, acting impatient, she relented.

"He's selling beads and smaller pieces of jewelry. I think most of it is stolen or fake. Check out his shop."

"What makes you think so?" Fíli asked.

"I went through a phase, so I know how petty thieves act," she muttered, kneading her blanket nervously. "His beard is always full of beads, but they're plain, as if someone tried to remove and redesign the surface pattern. He wears several rings, but he often turns the shank outside, hiding the center stone in his fist. He's never worn the same pieces twice, but I've been watching him for only a week. He's a shabby merchant anyway if he wears his merchandise and sells what he'd already worn!"

Fíli nodded.

"Thank you, that's actually very useful. I wish you a speedy recovery," he winked at her, but turned away too soon to see her bewildered face.

He went straight to the dungeons, where Dwalin and Nori were questioning Varni, who was leading them in circles, and Nori was itching to plunge his knife into him. Dwalin was ready to let him. They asked him about the stealing when Fíli arrived, but he only laughed.

"It's futile!" Dwalin scoffed. They were out of Varni's hearing distance, so he finally let out the frustration this questioning built up in him.

"He's skilled at deception. He won't say a word. We can keep him down here forever, but he won't say a word," Nori affirmed.

"I don't want to keep him here forever!" Fíli protested.

"Well, he's guilty for sure," Nori shrugged, "but unfortunately, not enough to kill him off. Banishing him will attract more trouble, as he's definitely part of something, and his employer will send reinforcements."

"A known enemy is always better than an unknown one," Dwalin agreed. "We can't send him off. We can't kill him off either, because we don't have enough evidence for that."

"So we should keep him here forever?"

"Or until he proves his innocence," Nori shrugged. "Mahal knows, I pulled off stunts like that! The key to get out of jail is patience. The longer we keep him, the more time we give him to come up with a plan and turn the guards, who come down here, against us. There's nothing worse than a self-righteous criminal spouting his venom amongst the crowd."

"What should we do then?" Fíli was seething. He wouldn't stand for such disruption in his kingdom, but he had never had to deal with such a case.

Dwalin and Nori exchanged a meaningful glance.

"We need to find evidence," Dwalin concluded. "Otherwise, I'd go for banishment. Maybe he'll meet his unfortunate end on the road."

They exchanged a meaningful glance again, and Fíli frowned. He replayed their words in his mind, and the unsaid implication slowly sank in. It wasn't the first time Dwalin suggested something like that. Fíli agreed that it would be the simplest and cleanest closure, but he detested the idea. As king, he swore to protect his people and obey the law. He should give out just punishments, and going back on his word by sending assassins after banished dwarves wouldn't fit his definition of 'just'. Accidents happened, and he was fine with that, as they happened by Mahal's will – but to arrange an accident to happen would weigh heavily on his mind.

"He's too dangerous," Nori said seriously.

"Then we shall find the evidence," Fíli declared.

A little later, Fíli, Dwalin, Nori and a handful of guards surrounded the store, ready to inspect everything inside. Nori looked giddy to use his lock picking skills again.

"It's addictive," he explained Fíli on the way up from the dungeons. "There's that thrill running through your body, it gives you a sense of power, and when you feel invincible, you can start. It's exhilarating. Having money is nice, but I miss this feeling."

"Batshit crazy, that's the name of this feeling," Dwalin added. "You shouldn't miss it, that's what you still are!"

Nori only laughed.

Now, Nori was approaching the door, and commented sadly: "Atrocious security, there are no padlocks! Those are my favorites!" He examined the lock, and gave the door a gentle push. It moved with a loud creak. He warily peeked inside, and threw it open.

"It's empty!"

His outburst met confusion.

"What do you mean by empty? Where is everything?" Dwalin knocked him over in his hurry to see it for himself. He impressed his audience with a long string of swear words while kicking around the remaining furniture, and chopped the large, upturned chest in the middle to pieces for good measure.

"Get his employees," Fíli ordered the guards.

He followed Dwalin and Nori, and looked around the empty store. They found a few boxes left behind. "They're stolen," Nori agreed with Zaz's assessment. Dwalin buried his head in his hands, muttering about a ruined night. Nori was clearly eavesdropping, as he didn't bother to hide his smirk. Fíli wondered if he knew how Dwalin planned to spend his time.

The guards returned. Fíli raised an eyebrow and waited for one of them to start, but they were shuffling their feet and made uncertain, noncommittal sounds.

"What?" Dwalin growled.

"They are gone," a brave dwarf answered.

"What?" Dwalin roared.

"Their home is as empty as the store."

Dwalin needed a physical outlet for his rage, so he continued to reduce the erstwhile chest to the smallest of pieces.

"He said that we're late," Nori mused, recalling Varni's parting words. "The prisoner knows exactly what's going on. He was stalling us to gain time for the others to get away."

Fíli's mind worked fervently to come to a conclusion.

"If they left so suddenly, they must be guilty too," he said. "They aren't Varni's employees, they are his accomplices! Their departure is the proof! We need to catch them before they get too far!"

"Yeah, but… in which direction are they running to? We still don't know where they've come from," said Nori with a vengeful scowl.

"Dale," Fíli said, not realizing that Nori spoke until he met his questioning look. "I'm going to Dale."

* * *

 **A/N:** Ah, he's causing more trouble! Damn. Can't let the guys have a quiet night!

In the next chapter: off to Dale! And who knows where, if the runaways are hiding somewhere else.


	21. A Leisurely Excursion

**A Leisurely Excursion**

"Everyone travels through Dale to reach Erebor. I can get Bard to watch out for them. We should alert them anyway: if they are indeed thieves, then who knows what they are trying to take if they're on the run." Fíli swallowed the nervous lump in his throat, thinking of the precious elven cargo, kept outside the city walls. "They couldn't get too far, especially carrying all this stuff. You're good at tracking, Dwalin too, take these guards and find their trail. Now, if it's possible. Send a messenger to wake up Bard and alert the guards around the city wall."

Nori snapped into action, gladly taking charge, since the rapidly shrinking wooden pieces still kept Dwalin's attention.

Fíli sent Ronen to inform Amad about the new developments, while he went to change into clothes that were more fitting for this activity. On the way to his chambers, an idea occurred to him, his feet changed direction without his permission, and he found himself knocking on the cartographer's door for the second time that night.

She opened the door quickly, despite the late hour.

"Shall I expect your visit so often, now that you know where I live?"

"It's a special night," said Fíli drily. He was tired and fed up with the trouble Varni had caused. Their own actions so far caused only more trouble, and all he wanted right now was the cool indifference she'd usually shown. "We are tracking a group of thieves. Your skills… Your help…"

Fíli couldn't find the balance between his authoritative and polite tone. Her piercing blue eyes were studying his face. He was frowning, and although he attempted a smile, it came out more like a grimace.

"Don't you have other trackers?"

Fíli's glower darkened, despite her genuinely curious tone. She seemed to realize that he wasn't here for a courtesy visit; she threw a glance back inside, and exited her home, shutting the door behind her. She was still wearing the same clothes, but he noticed newly dyed purple streaks in her hair.

"How can I help?"

Fíli let out a relieved breath.

"Can you meet me in the stables as soon as possible? I'm going to Dale. I can catch you up to the others, and fill you in on the details."

The cartographer promised to be there, and Fíli went to get ready too. He was very grateful for her unconcerned attitude in the face of this unexpected task. He hoped the others would find something, but he passed them on the road to Dale – it seemed the thieves took three of their fastest horses and chose the shortest way to the city of men. The cartographer stayed with them, and Fíli continued his journey with Ronen.

The messenger he'd sent to wake Bard was waiting for him at the city gate, alone. Fíli was ready to reprimand him, but as the messenger spoke, he realized that his assessment was too hasty.

"The elven cargo is missing. King Bard is already there."

Chaos erupted when Fíli reached the site where the elven cargo should be.

"What are you doing here?" Bard shouted. He didn't bother to hide his overwhelmed state: his hands were shaking, his voice was laced with panic and the white of his eyes stood in a scary contrast to the darkness.

"You!" an elf bellowed, leaping to cause physical harm to the dwarven king, but Haldír held him back. His strong grip didn't silence his companion though: "You despicable fraud! You lured us here, threatened us, humiliated us and now you steal! You can take whatever you want, still you'll rot alive in your caves!"

A group of men were inspecting the site: the wagon had been standing in a large tent on the field where the elves worked, but the tent was now empty. A healer tended to the unlucky pair who had been standing guard in the time of the theft. Others were running errands, conveying messages, but compared to the dwarves' system, it seemed rather disorganized to Fíli. He heard swearing everywhere, and he witnessed several people stumbling over their own feet or each other. He frowned.

Out of the ten elves, Haldír was restraining the fiery one, while a she-elf tried to calm him with gentle words. Another one was standing from one foot to the other impatiently, not quite able to decide if addressing Bard now would be a good idea. A group of three was wringing their hands in a corner of the empty tent, one attempted to control Bard's guards (he failed), and two were bent over something on the ground, deep in a quiet discussion.

Fíli cleared his throat, but no one paid attention. Bard, after his initial outburst, couldn't keep his focus on the arrival of dwarves.

"You!" Fíli heard Sigrid's scream, and turned in her direction. She was approaching with long strides, her skirts billowing and her hair coming free from the sloppy bun she'd done in her hurry. She was livid, and Fíli was her target. "I should've known! It's always you! You and your people, you just can't seem to stay put and be content with your life, unless you ruin everything others build! You arrogant, condescending bastard!" she spat.

Fíli was getting quite worked up. His night was stressful enough without her spiteful words.

"You speak about me like this?" he sneered back, catching her shoulders to keep her at a safe distance. Sigrid immediately wrenched herself out of his grasp. "You sly little snake! You are the ones who always try to take on more than you can handle! I always appear to be the one to clean up after your fuckup!"

"Our fuckup?!" She poked him with her index finger so hard, he almost had to take a step backwards. "You are all so full of hate! You can't see farther than your own nose! Oh, it's rather long, long enough to stick in everywhere, and big enough to be bothersome!"

Her remark made Fíli lose his temper.

"My nose? It's my fault now?" he asked incredulously. He leaned closer, jutting out his chin to keep the eye contact; Sigrid, unfortunately was slightly taller. He continued on a hushed voice. "What about your mouth? Will you ever learn that sometimes you should just keep it shut? That sometimes, when things are getting out of hand, you just need to suck it up? That most of the time, you'd be better off swallowing and move on?"

His eyes flicked to her lips, than to her neck. Sigrid raised her hand to slap him, but Fíli was quicker and caught her wrist. Sigrid was struggling to pull away, grunting and grimacing at Fíli, but at least she stopped talking. Fíli let her go.

"You hateful bastard!" she sneered. She shook her head to clear away the haze of her ire. "You should go back to your mountain! I don't know how you knew to come here, but you should leave us take care of it now."

"As if you can!" He snorted, trying to calm down, but dwarves were slower to let things go. "As if you have any idea what's going on!"

"As if _you_ do!"

"I do, actually," Fíli said, puffing his chest out.

"Then, care to tell me?" she asked desperately, hugging herself with her arms.

Fíli looked around uncertainly. The place was in an uproar, and he noticed onlookers gathering too. He shook his head. Bard was still running around like a headless chicken, Haldír was unsuccessfully placating his company, and in general, Sigrid looked like the most level-headed person here, which didn't bode well for them. Fíli was tempted to just take Nori, Dwalin and their group, find the stolen cargo and bring it back without consulting anybody – but that's exactly what he wanted to avoid.

He wanted this alliance built on trust, which only worked by talking to each other. There was no point in antagonizing Sigrid further.

Sigrid was staring at him expectantly. He touched the bridge of his nose to regain his self-control, but recalling her insults, quickly changed his mind and clutched his hands behind his back.

"We are chasing thieves. We thought there were two of them, but as they took three of our fastest horses, there's probably a third one. I was coming to warn you of their possible appearance, but all I found here is" he made a gesture toward the chaos, not quite finding proper words to describe it, "this."

Sigrid was rubbing her eyes. She tried to be subtle, but Fíli noticed that she was wiping away her tears.

"Do you think they've taken the elven wagon?"

"I'm quite certain. I have a team tracking them. I've sent for them, they're headed to Dale now. When they arrive, I'm going to hunt down the thieves and bring the cargo back. I've also sent for my mother and Glóin. They'll come here to help investigate. You should try to…" he paused, failing to find inoffensive words again. "What's happening here is…"

"Destructive?" Sigrid helped out. "I know. I'm unable to do anything though, everyone answers to Da."

"Find out something! You're good at taking charge!" he said on the most reassuring voice he could produce now. He briefly touched Sigrid's shoulder to encourage her. "I'm getting Haldír and Bard. I'd hate to reinforce the impression that dwarves are _a tad too_ _secretive_!"

Getting to Haldír was more difficult than talking to him. He listened to Fíli's explanations, and begged to go with them.

"I'm a fighter," he said, shooting a dismayed glance at the belligerent elf. "I know how to lead a disciplined army. I know how to silence someone by knocking them out, but I have no idea what to say to smooth away the discord now."

Bard needed a little more encouragement, but fortunately, Sigrid's support pushed Dale's king to agree to whatever Fíli said. Since Haldír was going, he insisted on joining too with a few guards of his own. Both kings leaving the cities on a mission didn't sit well with Fíli, but for the sake of peace, he relented.

"We may need backup," he said. "You and your men will follow us from a short distance."

"But Haldír is going with you!" Bard protested petulantly.

"Yes! Because he has a thousand years of tracking experience, how about you?"

Fíli's scathing reply silenced Bard into obedience.

"I'll just stay here and… revel in the chaos," Sigrid sighed and waved them goodbye.

"You'd better clear it away," Fíli called after her. Nori was beckoning him impatiently from the side of the camp, signing nervously in Iglishmek that their group had split up.

"Then what?" he barked at Nori angrily, when they reached him.

"The lass you've brought? She's going fast. Dwalin is with her, but the guards wanted to wait for your orders. They're reluctant to follow an outsider."

"Idiots! You, as well!"

"Well, to be honest, she's not very… convincing. She's going too fast, and we're worried that she's… inattentive," Nori defended his decision.

"She's not."

"Well, when she saw the wheeltracks, she didn't even get off her horse, she just rode on. What if she misses something from up there?"

The questions Nori raised were valid, but as his king brought her as an expert, he shouldn't criticize her methods.

"She knows what she's doing. Now get back on the horses, and let's catch them; at least Dwalin had enough sense to stay with her!" Fíli looked at him sternly. "Next time you want to lead a team? You wait until someone else does."

Nori scurried away, and deftly got on a large messenger horse. Fíli took notice of the difference between his thoroughbred and the guards' sturdy mounts.

"And next time you actually lead a team?" he continued, while he climbed on the pony Ronen borrowed from Dale's stables. "You don't make yourself stand out like this."

"Ow, but I like these horses!" he complained. "They have a nice, comfortable back, I can see everything, and we got so used to each other! I didn't want to hurt their feelings by choosing a common pony!"

Fíli narrowed his eyes.

"Since when are you riding the messenger horses?"

"Since I'm an honest, upstanding dwarf in the service of my King!" he declared proudly.

Fíli rolled his eyes. He should've known that Nori would somehow try to get something more out of his spying job than payment in gold – he was glad it was a relatively harmless advantage.

The cartographer was indeed proceeding rapidly. The tracks led across the grassy meadow from the elven tents in the direction of Dale, and followed the narrow path along the city wall. The thieves crossed a field of golden wheat, carelessly ruining the crops, but instead of turning to the wide road going south, they crossed it, according to the message Dwalin had left behind. They were looking down to the valley of the Long Lake now: Haldír, with his sharp elven eyes, spotted the form of the two chasers on the gravelly-grassy slope, halfway between them and the pine forest in half an hour of riding distance. There was no sign of the thieves, but the forest would surely slow them down.

They sped up and reached the chasers in a short time. Dwalin reported what they've found so far – despite Nori's pessimist input ('nothing'), it seemed the cartographer was busy and effective. The thieves harnessed the horses to the wagon, and she said they must be in the forest by now. The messenger horses were bred for speed, not for pulling heavy loads or running long distances, so she reckoned they must be on foot by now.

On the edge of the forest, she stopped to inspect the ground.

"I think they got off here."

Fíli crouched down beside her.

"I can only see one set of footprints," he argued.

"Yes. It's very clear, probably for distraction. They took the wagon further into the woods, but I'm not sure if there is anyone driving it. Give me a minute to check."

Fíli waited as she worked. She was frowning, looking uncertain.

"They are good. They deliberately hid their traces. Send a few men to retrieve the wagon, and let's follow this trail."

They did, the cartographer leading the line, Fíli walking close behind, with Ronen on his heels. They left two dwarves to watch the horses. Bard and his men followed the wagon with Nori, while Dwalin, Haldír and a few more dwarves made up Fíli's team.

Suddenly, they heard the rustling of the bushes. Everyone tensed, ready to fight, some of them already had a blade in the hand. Haldír was the first to react: he whistled, and one of the messenger horses trotted out from behind the bushes.

Everyone simultaneously let out a breath of relief. A dwarf caught its reins, and dropped to the end of the group with it.

The appearance of the stolen horse prompted the cartographer to go faster, and she asked Fíli to consult several times. Fíli himself was a fairly good tracker, as he grew up overground and spent his adolescence by hunting game in the woods of the Blue Mountains. To his surprise, she even thought to consult Haldír, which spoke of her practical, open-minded attitude. They suspected that they were following the trail of two, which got them thinking if there was a third one after all. After a while, she started sniffing in the air. Fíli stopped, looking at her with amusement.

"Do you feel it too?" she asked.

"What?"

"Smell the air."

Fíli still stared at her with a dumbfounded expression, but Haldír understood.

"We're at the lake."

"We are. Cookies for the elf," she winked at him.

Fíli was appalled: was it so easy to impress her? He wanted cookies too, but all he'd got from her so far was a few uncomfortable situations.

"Is this good news?" he asked with forced politeness.

"I don't know," the cartographer sighed. She sent Haldír to have a look over the lake, while she was watching the ground with a troubled expression.

"What's wrong?"

"The forest is thinning so close to the water, they have more space to move. Not to mention the rock beneath us," she pointed at the whiteness appearing from under the soil. "Soon there won't be footprints or broken twigs left behind."

She got up, going after the elf. Fíli followed her. She was standing on the edge of the cliff, admiring the star-speckled sky over the dark lake. Haldír was close by, trying to find the perfect lookout.

"Where do we go from here?" Fíli asked.

"It's obvious!" she answered, rolling her eyes but not elaborating.

"It's _not_ obvious!"

"It is." Her glare made Fíli feel like a toddler being reprimanded for a hissy fit. "They were heading south. Following the coastline is the shortest, quickest, easiest path through the forest. The smart thing would be to get on a boat, but I don't know if they've planned for such an escape. If they have, then we're going to lose them. If not, then they are caught."

"You're guessing," he challenged her, suddenly horrified by the possibility that she may not be as trustworthy as he believed. "If we have nothing to go on, we can easily lose them when they leave this pathway."

The cartographer rewarded his input with a snort.

"Leave, as in jump in the water? The coast is too high here. If they jump, they are as good as dead. Or, if they go back to the forest, we'll get ahead of them and they'll be trapped between us and the other team."

Fíli hated her factual tone. _Doesn't she care that those frauds took what's not theirs? Doesn't she care if the elves leave tomorrow without completing their work, and the lands remain desolate? Doesn't she realize what's at stake?_ He didn't spoke though; he remembered her earlier words about elven serenity, and he didn't want to reveal his upset feelings in front of Haldír, who was bringing news.

"The coast here is high. There's a narrow path between the forest and the edge of the cliff. I've seen no sign of the thieves, nor of any boat, but the path will descend soon until we reach the level of the water."

The cartographer praised his skills, and went on to follow the path. Fíli caught up to her, and hesitantly spoke up.

"Where are you going?"

"After them!" she answered calmly.

"Shouldn't we at least split up? We can't know that you're leading us in the right direction."

She turned suddenly, putting her fisted hands on her hips, and for the second time that night, Fíli found himself facing a very angry female.

"You're right. We can't know for sure, so since you clearly don't wish to use my skills anymore, may I go back to bed?"

Fíli backed off immediately. She was right.

"We should've brought men with us, though," she sighed, scrunching up her face. Clearly she didn't like uncertainty any more than him. "They've been living on the lake up until recently; they must know these parts better than I."

"We can send them a message," Fíli suggested, as a peace offering. He beckoned over the dwarf who was leading the stolen horse. "Can you find the other team?" he asked, and when he got an affirmative answer, he dispatched the messenger with the information of where they were heading.

"Let's follow the line of the coast," the cartographer said. She didn't wait for an answer.

"You do realize that finding them is very important, don't you?" Fíli asked, walking up next to her.

"Yes," she said seriously, giving him a glance from the corner of her eyes. "I like elven candy too."

Fíli cursed and she chuckled, prancing away as if they were out on a leisurely excursion.

They increased their pace, figuring that the thieves were slowed down by their baggage, hoping that they can catch up to them. As Haldír predicted, the path soon started to descend. As the daylight was soon upon them, Fíli too could see the details of the coastline better and farther. He noted as the forest changed. The undergrowth was thick now. Haldír patted Fíli's shoulder.

"I hear voices. I can't make out what they are saying, but we must hurry."

Fíli signed _"Faster!"_ in Iglishmek over his head, and the team of dwarven guards immediately obeyed. When they heard the voices too, he indicated to _"Spread out!"_ to surround the criminals.

Haldír let out an impressive curse that he'd learnt from the dwarves, and broke into a run. Fíli, suspecting that the elf heard something that they didn't, urged the group to follow.

They heard the sound of the water caressing the shore, not suspecting a thing, but Haldír was standing alone in the middle of a clearing. He looked pissed.

"They are gone," he cried out in anguish, impressing them with a string of musical Sindarin words as he nocked an arrow. The dwarves gathered around him, only to see a battered barge sail out of the makeshift port.

Haldír shot the arrow, but it was rather a desperate attempt to do something, anything, than a real opportunity to hit them, as his arrow sadly plopped into the water just short of the vessel's rear.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Ah, Fíli how nice of you to ask her out..._ oh, that's not the case. He just didn't want to suffer alone, but to question her skills? Fíli is expressing his feelings for her rather immaturely, don't you think? Oh, silly me, what feelings. He's in love with Flor! He's sure of it.

So, the thieves got away, and our young king needs to find out something, because he's in trouble. The elves are angry, the men are desperate, and Thorin will take back the throne.

 _Thank you, Fíli, for trying. It was nice to write about you._

Next chapter on Monday!

SV

to **Emrfangirl:** Thanks for the review! The Kíli and Legolas scene was a last minute addition, good to no it wasn't in vain!


	22. Dwarves on Water

**Dwarves on Water**

The dwarves and the elf watched as the barge sailed farther and farther in the light of the rising sun. There was nothing they could do from here on foot, and since they had no means to travel on the water, Fíli had to swallow the bitter taste of failure.

Suddenly, fatigue came over him. He'd only now realized that they'd spent the whole night chasing the thieves, and before that, questioning Varni. At least that one was still sitting in the dungeons – or rather, Fíli hoped, because seeing his resourceful accomplices, he couldn't be sure of anything related to them.

They needed to get back, face the elves and their contempt, face Varni's toxic sputtering, and worst of all, face Thorin's smug satisfaction, because _he'd told so_.

Right now, Fíli felt no strength to move. He wanted to curl up, and sleep, sleep away all his troubles.

He felt the weight of a hand coming to rest on his shoulder. Judging by the strength of the grasp, Dwalin made an attempt at comforting him, while snapping him out of this stupor at the same time. It worked. Fíli turned slightly to let him know that he was grateful, but didn't shake off his hand.

"What now?" Dwalin asked.

"Now…" Fíli shook his head. He had no idea.

"We need to find the others and the wagon," the cartographer came to stand next to them. In this moment, Fíli hated her calm, uncaring countenance, and wanted to lash out.

"As you wish, Your Majesty," he inclined his head, mocking her. She shot him a nasty glare, but shut her mouth, which pleased Fíli greatly.

Dwalin wasn't pleased, though. He tightened his grasp on Fíli's shoulder, and said:

"If you're done sniping at every helpful person we have, you can just do what needs to be done!"

Fíli snarled at him too, especially since with the last pat, Dwalin gifted him a painful reminder that whining had no place on the road. It was drilled into him ages ago, and Fíli silently cursed himself for forgetting this lesson – Dwalin surely left him with a nice bruise.

He took a deep breath, and considered his options.

"She's right," he nodded to the cartographer, not willing to say more on the subject. "We need to find the others and the wagon. We have no means to chase them farther, and we aren't prepared to follow them on the shore. Let's go back," he called out for everyone to hear.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" he heard from everyone, but the loudest was _her_ voice. Cheeky lass!

They retraced their steps, and Dwalin left behind a few marks to indicate which way they went, in case Bard's team came to the bay. His foresight turned the game in their favor: Nori, on the stolen horse, trotted up to them.

"Turn back, we have a boat!"

The sad group brightened at once.

"What do you mean?" Fíli asked, not quite convinced of their good fortune.

"Bard has a small ship, docking just south of Dale. He's gone for it on my horse, and comes down to pick us up here."

Fíli frowned. "It's too late," he argued.

Nori shrugged.

"By all means, we can just go home and let them float away. Personally, I feel a lot better standing on something solid."

"How long?" Dwalin asked.

"He's gone before the sun came up and said two hours."

Two hours wasn't very long – the thieves had started their escape with a larger advantage, and they were still in sight. Travelling on water was slow, and Fíli hoped Bard happened to own a fast and sturdy vessel, as his excellent navigating skills put them at an advantage.

They settled down on the clearing at the bay. The men were already there, and brought the wagon and another stolen horse with them. Haldír was too restless: he was following the escapees with his eyes. The guards from Erebor and Dale sat down separately, and a few of them bunked down for a nap. After a while, as the merry goading started and good-natured insults were flying, the two groups merged.

Fíli wished to join them, as he knew how much fun such a group of soldiers can have, but he had no time for that now. He found a comfortable place to settle, and beckoned Dwalin and Nori over to discuss tactics. Dwalin immediately pulled out and lit his pipe, exhaling the smoke through his nostrils. Nori smirked at Fíli, taking out his own pipe, but Fíli smirked back. He'd spent enough time on the road to know how to prepare for a trip, and he lit his pipe too. Nori acknowledged him with a lopsided smile; his respect for the young king has grown by seeing that he knew his way out in the world.

They smoked in silence, all three lost in thought. They still had enough time to come up with a decision. Meanwhile, Haldír had lost sight of the thieves.

"They disappeared on the horizon," he reported on a clipped tone. He frowned, seeing that the dwarves in charge were lounging so casually. "You've brought your pipes? What else are you carrying for your own amusement?"

They shrugged. If the elf didn't learn to travel well during all his centuries, then they wouldn't be the ones to teach him right now.

"When did you expect to smoke? During the chase or during the fight, that will evidently occur when we try to stop them?"

"We planned to smoke on the way back," Nori relented finally, his cynical tone indicating that they didn't care for his questions. Haldír took the hint and returned to staring over the Lake, watching out for Bard this time.

The cartographer, who was fumbling around at the edges of the clearing until now, approached them.

"May I join you?" she asked timidly.

Fíli was glad that she chose their company, but before he could answer, Dwalin grabbed the lass' arm and had her seated next to him. To Fíli's surprise, she lit up her pipe too.

"What? Not everyone is as clueless about proper traveling equipment as our elf friend over there," she smirked, when she caught him staring. "He's itching to go after them. Apparently, elves don't need to wait for transportation, as they can run fast for a very long time. Have some respect for his self-restraint that he's still here with us, slow-folks, instead of launching himself after them with their ridiculous stunts," she said, chuckling. The three dwarves roared up in amusement.

As time passed, Fíli brought up the topic of their further journey.

"I doubt we can all fit in Bard's boat."

"You surely won't get on it," Dwalin warned him. "Lunacy! All we need is a king, sank to the bottom of this bottomless lake, next to the thrice accursed fireworm!"

Fíli scowled, and the cartographer tried to hide her smile.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to stay," she said. "You can find them on the lake without me, and it's not like I'm very useful in a fight."

"I'm not really in the mood to get on that shabby raft either," Nori pitched in.

"You're coming!" Dwalin said, allowing no argument. Nori made a pitiful face, but Dwalin ignored him and continued talking to Fíli. "We're leaving our guards with you; they wouldn't be of use on a boat anyway. I'm surprised the thieves risked it. We're taking Bard's men and the elf."

"Sound plan," Fíli agreed. "Shall we wait for you here?"

"It would be the best to return to Dale together," Dwalin answered, frowning. "What of the thieves?"

There was a lot to consider, Fíli was aware. The thieves stole from the elves, who were stationed in Dale, so the trial would get a lot of publicity, and not only among dwarves.

He cast his eyes down, recalling Dwalin's suggestion about accidents on the road. An eerily similar scenario played out a couple of months before, resulting in his first serious trial, when they were hunting Raya's parents with Dwalin and the cartographer. He brought the culprits back to Erebor for their lawful punishment, but the trial ended in tragedy. Fíli understood that it was an accident: not his fault and probably not going to happen again, yet, he hesitated now. He cannot allow something like that to happen this time.

He felt every thump of his heart in his ears as the pressure of his blood increased. He knew Dwalin was waiting for an answer, but Fíli stared at the water instead, as the sunshine reflected on its thousands of ruffles. It was a mesmerizing sight, but also blinding. He couldn't see anything else for a moment than the picture of a trial, attended by men and elves, and as he announced the verdict that he believed to be just, everything crumbled in front of him in golden pieces, like the glittering water, like the treasure that had addled Thorin's mind.

He shook his head.

"The thieves belong to us first. They are from Erebor; my subjects, my responsibility. We'll take them back to Erebor."

Fíli tried to say the words with as much conviction as he could conjure up, but Dwalin was no fool. He knew him since his birth and he'd seen him at his worst. He was the one who taught him discipline, and he knew all his tells. He was also the one who shared a drink with him in the aftermath of rescuing Raya, where they were reminiscing about their previous adventures and how easily things worked back then.

"What if they run?"

Fíli looked at him askance.

"They aren't the sort to give up. What if they, let's say, jump into the lake on their own volition? Shall we get them out?"

It took more than a moment to realize that he was offering him a shortcut. Dwalin was ready to dirty his own hand, to spare Fíli some trouble. Fíli knew what Thorin's answer would be: a firm no. He wouldn't try to shirk his responsibility, especially not when lives depended on it. Even lives of thieves.

But Fíli wasn't Thorin. He was tempted to give Dwalin free reins, even as Dwalin's dark gaze made it clear that he'd interpret 'their own volition' quite freely. Fíli stared at the water again, the golden ruffles still blinding him, and he turned back to his companions. Nori was watching him curiously – Fíli wasn't sure if impressing him would mark him as a good king. The cartographer was watching him too, but instead of her weird, judging glare, her eyes radiated sympathy.

He looked back at Dwalin.

"Let's not cause ourselves more trouble than we already have. I would like to question them, so try to get at least one back."

Dwalin nodded, so pleased with the decision that he cracked a smile, and even told him so:

"Good call! Trust your instincts, they've never failed you so far!"

Fíli grinned, relieved.

Finally, Bard arrived with a fancy sailboat. Dwalin, Nori, Haldír, and Bard's men boarded, the dwarves immediately explaining the tactics and priorities to the others.

"I took your advice about having something for myself," Bard admitted to Fíli cheerfully. "So, this is my guilty pleasure. I couldn't wait for this beauty until the elves are gone, and look, how well it turned out!"

Fíli, the cartographer and the dwarven guards watched as Bard's sleek vessel shrank away to a small dark spot in the middle of the lake, and finally, disappeared.

"They're faster than the thieves were," Fíli commented, looking for confirmation to his left, where the cartographer stood just a moment ago. He turned around, only to find that she was already sitting back to their previous place. The guards also returned to where they'd been sitting before, bored by the view sooner than their king. Fíli now had a chance to join them, as he had nothing else to do. The dwarves were telling stories, making bets, started and soon abandoned different games, and even the ever stoic Ronen among them contributed to the merriness.

Still, his eyes were drawn to the lone figure under the tree. He wondered why she avoided the guards – she would easily impress the group.

"May I join you?" he asked, looking down at her. She was squinting as the light came from behind him, but she gave a positive answer, so he plopped down, letting exhaustion wash over him once again.

She was fiddling with her pipe anxiously, which bothered Fíli.

"Are you out of pipe-weed?" he asked. He only wanted to be nice and offer her his own pouch, but somehow, he managed to sound truly unfriendly. He groaned. He was tired and nervous, and he was taking it out on anyone nearby, and he really shouldn't.

She shook her head, and pulled her legs closer to her chest, until her chin was resting on her knees. Fíli had the impression that she wasn't in the mood for talking, and he cursed himself for being considerate. He should've joined the guards or catch some sleep.

Maybe she too was just tired.

"You can sleep if you want to, it'll take a while."

"I'm fine," she shook her head again. "You on the other hand look like… something I shouldn't compare to a king," she finished awkwardly, looking away.

This amused Fíli, and turned to her with an eyebrow cocked. She must have felt his gaze on her, because she snapped:

"Just sleep! It'll do you some good!"

Fíli lied down with a smile on his face. Usually, he was the one getting flustered during their conversations, and this refreshing change filled him with satisfaction.

"What if I'm not tired?" he asked, staring at the blue patches of sky appearing in the gaps between the leaves.

The cartographer snorted. "Do you like pointless arguments?" she mumbled.

Fíli didn't answer. He wouldn't fall asleep, but he closed his eyes, enjoying the sounds of the forest and the cool breeze on his skin. Living in Erebor was nice: safe and comfortable, but he missed these little things from his life before. After a while, the cartographer must have found her crouched position uncomfortable, and stretched her limbs. Fíli opened his eyes slightly to spy on her: she took off her jacket and folded it as a pillow. She stared at it helplessly for a moment, and sat back finally. Her rigid posture proved to be as uncomfortable as the crouching, so she tried lying down, but she was constantly fidgeting, when Fíli had had enough.

"Just lie still and watch the sky," he advised her. She obeyed – he checked her – and lied so stiffly, Fíli had to laugh.

"I hate this waiting!" she growled. "Would you mind if I walk around to check out the area?"

"No," Fíli answered, shutting his eyes. By the time she put her jacket back on, her words registered in his mind. "No!" he bolted up. She shouldn't wander around alone. "I'm coming too!"

The cartographer didn't acknowledge his offer, only walked off with her quiet, confident stride. Fíli admired her agility: he was very fit, but they've been riding and walking all night and his legs felt like lead. His steps were louder and clumsier than hers, but she didn't call him out on it, so he followed her. She seemed to walk around aimlessly, stopping when she found something that interested her – a flower, a nest, a pretty stone, a foxhole. Fíli didn't ask questions; he watched her for a while, but after their third stop, he relaxed his stance, and started looking around too. The forest was quite interesting, if he took his time to focus on his surroundings. He hadn't had time for that since accepting the crown.

Fíli noticed a lizard in vivid green and blue colors, as it was bathing in the single ray of sunshine that got through the crown of the trees. He silently patted her shoulder, and fortunately, she had the good sense not to make a noise. She found the scene beautiful, and rewarded him with an approving, lopsided smile, which made him feel more like a friend than like an unwanted baggage.

The peaceful moment was disrupted by noisy clatter of boots and metal. The lizard ran off, and Fíli immediately raised his sword, expecting an ambush.

It was only Ronen. His ever watchful companion noticed his absence, and loyally went to find him. Fíli let out a grunt.

"I'm fine! Go back and have fun."

Ronen stood from one foot to the other, conflicted.

"It would be best if you don't leave our sight, Your Majesty."

He bowed, waiting for Fíli to return with him. Fíli looked at the cartographer, who was staring daggers at Ronen.

"You should return, Your Majesty," she said through gritted teeth. She was right: Ronen wouldn't leave, and his looming, stomping presence would ruin the peace of the forest. With a resigned sigh, Fíli accepted to return, but he hooked his arm through hers, and dragged her back with him despite her protestations.

"You can't wander in the forest, it's dangerous!" Fíli explained her on a mocking tone.

"It's dangerous for you!" she hissed.

"For you too, then!"

Though Ronen invited them to sit with the guards, the cartographer firmly refused, and Fíli chose to sulk with her.

"I've spent my whole life overground!" Fíli growled in a low voice, so only she could hear. "I bet if something happens, I will be protecting them, not the other way around!"

"I've spent my whole life overground too!" the cartographer joined in. "I'm the danger in this forest, not the one in danger!"

"Really? Where did you live?"

She glanced around, but no one was paying them any mind. "In the far north in the Blue Mountains," she whispered. "I was visiting my parents right before I met Dís."

Fíli sat, stunned and reluctant to move. She was speaking about topics he thought he'd never learn about, and he felt if he'd alerted her to his presence, she'd shut up. He didn't want that. He wanted to hear whatever she cared to tell.

She didn't continue though.

Fíli let out the breath he was holding, and studied her stony face. He wouldn't force her to open up, but maybe, he'll be able to learn something about her if he can stick to this topic.

"Did you see our old cottage?" he asked.

She nodded. Of course; Dís was very proud of her small property, the result of her work of a lifetime.

"I loved it," Fíli said. "Amad was very proud of it, and so were we, naturally. We stayed there even after everyone else moved into the small carved homes. Most dwarves thought that living overground was humiliating, but Amad never allowed us to think so. She was right."

"It's a nice place," the cartographer smiled. After a short contemplation, she spoke again. "May I ask why you stayed there? I thought that those halls are older than you."

Fíli flinched.

"The first chambers are older, yes, but the carving was slow and strenuous. I think there was an argument between Thorin and Amad, I've never fully learnt the tale. Officially, Thorin wanted to provide equally for his people and didn't want us to be privileged. Amad… When I asked her, she uttered a few curses, told me how much she worked for the house, and if I had a problem with her decision to stay there. Didn't she tell you more?" he asked curiously, but she shook her head. "I truly had no problem with her decision. The house was comfortable, we had a lot of fun, and I know my way out in the world. What about you?" he asked, coaxing her to take over the story-telling, before he started comparing every aspect of his life back then and now.

"I don't have a mysterious story." Her voice was light, but her shoulders tensed and she wrapped her arms around her knees in a self-comforting gesture. "I was born in a house overground and grew up there. Then I went to see the world, and it doesn't really matter where I live. Usually, I don't stay for long."

"I hope the Lonely Mountain can keep your attention for a while," he said, turning his body fully toward her. She was still facing away, but Fíli hoped to ease her mind from the burden she didn't share. He suspected that there was mysterious story, in spite of her statement, but it was a story for another day. He relit his pipe, and offered her some pipe-weed. He asked her about her work, and what she hoped to show him inside. Her descriptions fascinated him, and the hours they spent waiting for the others passed in a blink of an eye.

Two boats returned. As far as Fíli could tell, both returned in passable condition: the barge was still floating, and Bard's new ship didn't seem to be worse for wear. Dwalin immediately jumped to the ground, his severe expression not betraying his feelings, but Fíli knew he hated sailing just as much as the next dwarf. Perhaps even more. His legs were a little wobbly, so Fíli hurried to greet and hear him out, before he fell over in his haste.

"Nori?" was the young king's first question.

Dwalin pointed his thumb at Bard's boat.

"Somewhere under the blankets. Follow the loud chatter of teeth, but be careful and cover your eyes because he's stark naked."

"Is he well?"

"Of course he's well! He's too well for his own good!" Dwalin growled. "The idiot fell into the water."

Something in Dwalin's face clued Fíli to look for another answer, and as he looked at Dwalin's hands, he could read the Iglishmek signs.

 _Two off. Female on the boat. Nori jumped in to finish the work._

"Maybe you can compensate him for his troubles. The sooner you offer him money, the sooner he'll shut up."

Fíli agreed, and immediately went to see Nori. As Nori found the ship greatly disagreeable, he offered him a place in the wagon, which was parked nearby. They split up again: Bard and a few of his men continued their way on boat, while Haldír and the female thief (whose presence surprised Fíli, as they had no idea how she fit into the picture) joined them on the shore. Haldír happily informed the dwarven king that the items on the wagon and in the packages of the thieves made up all the cargo. Nori hobbled down from Bard's vessel, still bundled up, and Fíli knew Bard wouldn't see those blankets again. He 'forgot' his clothes though – as they were still too wet, he refused to touch them. Fíli rolled his eyes, but as Nori did a great service to him today, he let him get away with this tantrum.

Finally, everyone seemed to find their place. The guards and Haldír were riding ponies and horses, Nori got inside the wagon, in between the boxes of elven plants and the sacks of elven magic powder. Dwalin and Fíli joined him to ensure his (and the cargo's) well-being. The cartographer offered to drive the wagon, and Dwalin didn't even wait for Fíli's answer, only put the reins in her hand.

During the ride home, Dwalin and Nori relayed what happened.

Apparently, the thieves got rid of the smuggler as soon as they noticed the chasers.

"We've seen it, they simply cut his throat and threw him in the lake!" Nori explained, appalled.

That hardened Dwalin's resolve to get as little trouble back as he could. Thanks to the great experience of Bard and his men, they easily pulled up next to the smuggler ship, and while some of the men stabilized the vessels with ropes, the rest of the company crossed to the smuggler ship.

"That's when we realized that there were three. We divided the task," Dwalin said, implying with his hands what task he was talking about. "The men were supposed to catch the lass, while we cornered the brothers we've interrogated last evening. They weren't very cooperative."

Fíli listened to them with a dark expression.

"They weren't average thieves," Nori took over. "They were vicious and adaptive. They fought like that too," he flinched, "that's how I got into the water."

"They were vile. Their loathsome words and their vile contempt for us… These brothers played us like a fiddle. They weren't jovial or submissive at all, but just like Varni, they didn't talk. Yet, I think the lass might know a thing or two, maybe even more than the rest."

"Yes, I had that impression too!" Nori chimed in, "as if she was giving the orders!"

"When she was caught, the alleged brothers tried to overpower us with tricks and deception. There was no trace of honesty in their actions. We knew by then that we can't simply throw them in the lake, they might have tricks to get out of there; so I slit one's throat, but the other, realizing our purpose, jumped."

"The scum jumped before I could touch him!" Nori cried out. "So I did what every loyal hero would, and jumped, to finish the job and stop him from bringing more harm onto us."

"Very impressive, Nori," Fíli said, snickering at his antics as he stood there, keeping up his blankets with his right hand and illustrating his grand sacrifice with gestures of his left. "Shall I give you a royal plaque in admission of your bravery?"

"That would be nice," he smiled, thinking of a nice little trinket, but his smile turned sour. "Although I don't think that would make me popular in certain circles."

Their banter went on for a while. They needed to let out the pent up frustration and recharge their good spirit, but if Fíli thought that their troubles for the day were over, he was sorely mistaken.

Nori loved the attention, and he did everything in his power to impress his king now; that's why it took so long for Fíli to notice Dwalin's gloomy silence. His breath hitched in his throat, when he realized that they had more to say. He immediately waved Nori off in the middle of his story.

"There's more, isn't it?" He was scared of the answer.

Dwalin and Nori exchanged a meaningful look. Fíli was impressed by their silent conversational skills, but also annoyed by being left out. He cleared his throat.

"We think they are nomads," Nori stated nonchalantly, examining his nails: there will be a lot of cleaning to do. "Have you heard of nomads?"

"Travelling dwarves, yes."

"So you know what the word means," Nori shrugged, unimpressed. He dearly regretted leaving his knives in his wet clothes on the boat. He was restless, and he started gnawing at his nails. Fíli, bored and disgusted by his antics, gave him a knife of his own.

"Here – you can even keep it, for your services today."

His hands now occupied, Nori finally managed to focus on the topic.

"Nomads are a group of dwarves, who enjoy their freedom too much and decided to never settle. They don't work like the average honest dwarf: they steal and cheat to get by. They are flighty, and preserve nothing. They don't care about consequences, they don't care about anything other than their momentary satisfaction."

Fíli frowned. He'd known that the word had an uncomplimentary tone, but he didn't realize that they lived as a group.

"It's a group?"

"It's more like… family," Nori said, cautiously watching Dwalin's reaction. Dwalin was sitting like a statue, staring at the cartographer's back, not giving away his opinion about the nomads. "Not actual family; they are misfits. They call themselves a clan, but while we are bound by our Longbeard ancestry, they are bound by their lack of morals. They mostly wander alone, or in small groups, and they live by deception. They stick together, but quarrels and betrayals are quite common. They don't kill each other, but they feel no remorse for harming outsiders, and they avenge their fallen comrades viciously."

"They're scum," Dwalin growled, still not looking in their direction. "Thieves, traitors, murderers. They bring the worst kind of trouble."

While Dwalin radiated hostility, Nori was worming himself deeper into his blankets, until only his eyes were visible from his cocoon.

"But…"

"We killed two, which means double trouble," Dwalin helped him out grimly. "Still, I say we're better off with them dead."

"And Varni?"

"Probably, he's one of them too. What I find more alarming is the fact that so many of them are caught together at the same time. It seems that they were living in Erebor for a while now. Varni even got enrolled in the Spring Tour."

"They often venture into dwarven settlements, but rarely stay for long, and most definitely don't do commitment," Nori pitched in, "unless they have something huge to gain."

Dwalin shot him a dirty glare, and Nori squirmed back under the protection of his blanket. Clearly they both had history with this group, but Fíli didn't want to get involved. He understood the allure of this community for someone like Nori, and also knew that Dwalin held his grudges for life. He had enough on his plate now even without these nomads causing trouble on his doorstep; he'll know to watch out for them next time.

"I'll be outside."

The cartographer looked anxious when he sat down next to her. He took the reins from her, allowing her to rest a little. She wouldn't rest though: she was wringing her hands and opening and closing her mouth.

"What's wrong?" he asked as patiently as he could. Her eyes were wide and scared; she shook her head and buried her face in her hands. She didn't move for minutes, but eventually, her heavy breathing calmed to a normal rhythm. Fíli touched his elbow to hers in a show of sympathy.

"Are you alright?"

"I've heard what you were speaking about," she whispered, glancing behind. Fíli too checked if Dwalin or Nori was listening, but the two were still enwrapped in a silent staring contest.

"Have you met these nomads?"

"Of course I've met them! One can only travel for so long before they run into them!"

"Are they truly so vicious?"

"That's an understatement!" Derision helped her to regain her indifference. "Dís and I were keeping our eyes on this Varni, you know. What did he do?"

"He caused this whole mess…" Fíli went on to explain her what had transpired before he knocked on her door. He knew he shouldn't share such sensitive things with someone he barely knew, but she was Amad's trusted friend, and he trusted her as well, and he needed to talk. By telling her everything and answering her questions, he found that the whole picture of this case cleared up considerably.

"You seem to know a lot about these folks," Fíli concluded after her lengthy explanation about how nomads usually work together.

"Knowing what to avoid comes in handy from time to time," she shrugged.

"Can you maybe talk to the prisoners?"

"I really wouldn't like to," she said with a pained expression. "Me and the nomads, we have met in the past, but we never parted on friendly terms. I have an overabundance of conscience, and they are allergic to it, which makes them very dangerous for me."

* * *

 **A/N:** They got it back, but it wasn't easy! Fíli even had a little time to relax and show his better face, only to get interrupted.

On a different note, in my haste to squeeze the catographer into the most possible scenes with Fíli, I happened to write the ugliest Mary Sue character I've ever written. Fortunately, I go over a chapter several times, and I caught her and erased her, which resulted in a lot of rewrite. And she wouldn't cooperate now: I think I have offended her by making her Mary Sue, and now she is reluctant to enter any scene I write. It's not funny.

I hope the chapter turned out OK in the end! Thanks for reading, and drop me a few words!

SV


	23. Better Off

**Better Off**

The meadow with the elven tents was the epitome of order and tidiness, only half a dozen men were standing guard. It seemed Sigrid managed to erase the chaos. Fíli didn't look forward thanking her. They waited for Bard's arrival before leaving for the mountain. The elves immediately checked the cargo: their anger finally dissipated when they found that practically everything was returned. The plants and seeds were slightly worse for wear, but otherwise untouched. The thieves only took some of the 'nourishment powder', probably since it looked fancy enough to be sold off at a good price.

Fíli and his party reached the gates of Erebor shortly after dinnertime. Just as he climbed off his pony, his mother burst through the door, and locked him in a tight embrace.

"Are you alright? Is everyone alright? What took you so long?" she asked, worried, looking for signs of an injury.

"Nori checked the temperature of the lake, but otherwise, we're fine."

Dís immediately looked around for Nori, who was lurking in the background, still wrapped in the blankets. Dís gave him the same treatment, but Nori hated to be restrained. Dís, her relief at seeing him whole too great, held onto him firmly, and the only result he achieved by struggling was to drop his blanket.

"Stop it!" Dís said sternly. "Can I not be happy to see you alive?"

In this moment, she took a step back, and Nori's blanket finally fell to the floor.

"Mahal!" Dís covered her gaping mouth with her hands, too shocked to look away. Nori didn't have the decency to cover himself, figuring that now everyone had already seen everything. Eventually, Dwalin knocked some sense into him, and Nori obediently went to his room (wrapped in the blanket once more).

"Sorry for that," Dwalin came up to Dís, picking up a small pouch that Nori left behind, and concealing it under his coat.

She shook her head. "This is Nori. I'm not even surprised. And you? Are you unhurt? Are you fully clothed?"

"I am." Dwalin knew she needed the physical reassurance, and didn't fight her tight hug. "I brought him back in one piece," he said, nodding at Fíli.

"Thank you! Now show me what you found just now!" she demanded, expectantly opening her palm in front of him.

"Just a keepsake," he shrugged. Her accusing glare prompted another growl from him. "Let it go, Dís! It's mine now."

"We all know what sort of keepsakes he finds!" Dís said, aggravated. Fíli started to pay more attention, growing tense. If Nori took something and the elves noticed, that could neutralize all of their efforts. He stood next to his mother, glaring Dwalin into obedience.

"Fine!" Dwalin relented. "He wanted some of the magic powder. I told him it's fine, we can say it fell into the lake with the bodies."

Fíli reluctantly agreed. At least they made up a prudent excuse.

"Don't encourage him!" Dís said tiredly, leaving Dwalin and capturing the cartographer too – her enthusiasm rivaled Nori's.

Dís ensured that they could leave undetected, sending them trays to their rooms and distracting the councilors who had urgent matters to discuss with the king.

Fíli slept through the night, and felt actually quite rested, which was a rare occurrence these days. Maybe his body missed the outdoor activities in this new underground life – he decided to get out more. If only Kíli would return soon!

The council room was full of people: his usual councilors stubbornly took their usual seats, so the men of Dale and the four elves had to split up and squeeze into the places between them. A refreshing addition to this room was his mother's presence, who firmly refused to get involved with state affairs in an official capacity, but Fíli could always count on her support. She and Vera joined as the organizers of the Spring Tour, where this whole case started.

Fíli inhaled deeply, his mouth suddenly becoming dry.

When he announced the elves visit two months ago in the same room, he had to face loud protestation and open doubt. Now, the three groups were sitting together, their quiet conversation only halted by his arrival, and it seemed everyone was willing to cooperate to resolve the issue.

"Welcome, everyone," he greeted them, careful to meet every pair of eyes. He was grateful for the new furnishing of the room: his simple chair got replaced and his whole desk was put on a platform. This way, he was looking down on everyone from his seat, even the elves. He found it comfortable and empowering. He needed every small reassurance now, especially when he met Thorin's questioning gaze. His attendance today surprised Fíli: he showed no inclination to get in any contact with the elves, and Fíli hoped he didn't come to disrupt the peace.

He wanted to hear out every party.

Amad asked him not to disclose the reason of Varni's arrest, and he complied with her request. It was their internal affair, and concerned neither the men, nor the elves.

The elves had the most reason for outrage, but Haldír chose his companions wisely. Some of the dwarves (like Balin or Glóin) entertained the room with the occasional thinly veiled insult, but Haldír came back with creative retorts, once even earning Dwalin's approval.

The elves agreed to let Fíli deal with the criminals and to finish their job for a small compensation.

"You mean we brought back their stuff and we're paying them?" Glóin objected. "Surely you mean it figuratively!"

"We were going to pay them anyway," Fíli answered calmly. "We're just enforcing the clause about 'unexpected circumstances'."

Glóin sat back, displeased, but he wouldn't argue with their own law.

"Were you the inconvenienced party, I'm sure you'd fiercely demand it and more," Bard said sourly. He was familiar with Glóin's rigid accuracy regarding money. (Was he a lesser men, he would call it greed.)

"That's our law," Balin spoke up, "and our business partners expect the same correct treatment as we do. We shall discuss the exact sum in the coming days."

Bard then added a few points to the ever-growing list of the crimes of Varni and his accomplices.

"They knocked out two of my men, ruined the tent, ruined the crops and… does it count that the girl attacked my men on the boat?"

"Yes, King Bard, of course it does!" cried out Dori appalled. "Such a vile lass!"

"Unless you want to hold a separate trial, yes, it does," said Fíli, shooting a side-glance to his right, at Balin, who was scratching his chin. Bard was hopelessly informal; he wouldn't bother with a separate trial, and the task to interpret and categorize his accusations would fall to Balin.

"I'll give you a list of the injuries."

"I bet he'll write things like 'bitten', 'kicked', or 'have a booboo'," Balin murmured. "Is there any hope that he'll ever learn the difference between minor and severe injuries? I don't ask for all the categories, but how can someone rule without any knowledge of his own law?"

Fíli found his comment funny, but when he saw Thorin nodding along seriously, he changed sides without a second thought. Bard didn't have the upbringing that he got, and the man had never taken any lesson related to leadership. What he achieved, he achieved on his own, and Fíli wanted Balin and Thorin to respect that.

"By tomorrow morning," Fíli said. "Our accusations as of now are widespread minor thievery, deception, harassment and theft of high value. The number of accused varies, for example, we aren't sure about the dwarrowdam's role." Ori put down some notes in front of him. Fíli quickly run over it, and summarized: "We have questioned her, but gained little information. We are going to continue, and if anyone wishes to join the interrogation can apply when this meeting concludes."

The meeting was concluded soon after that: there was little to say yet. The elves and the men left, leaving the dwarves to deal with the situation, despite Fíli's offer.

The dwarves remained in the room – Fíli dreaded this part, since he was likely to butt heads with Thorin.

He and his chasing companions went to bed right after arriving home, but not before they escorted the dwarrowdam to the dungeons. They wanted to take advantage of her sleep-deprived state; thus, Thorin took over the investigation.

Dís and Vera had explained him everything leading up to the chase, and he'd heard what transpired in Dale too. (Glóin, who went down there with Dís, was very explicit about what he'd witnessed.) He'd already tried to get something out of Varni, and apparently, he recognized him as a nomad, and discovered that there were more of them in Erebor.

"This is a very dangerous situation," Thorin started when he was given the word. Fíli allowed him to drone on about the possible scenarios, but he didn't really pay attention. Thorin went on to explore every point of view, but Fíli was only interested in the one that was actually true. He waited for Thorin to finish before relaying what they'd learnt.

"Dwalin, Nori…" He looked around, but Nori wasn't here. In truth, he wasn't part of the council, but he was an invaluable asset in the investigation, that's why Fíli asked him to come. Apparently, to no avail. "Dwalin, can you add anything?"

"She seemed to be the leader of the trio. Maybe we should let her take care of Varni."

"Or maybe Varni is her superior!" Thorin argued. "You know them, Dwalin, they are deceitful and unpredictable. Maybe Varni is only a distraction."

"We won't know if we won't act!" Dwalin declared, turning to Fíli. "Let's put them in one cell, and have Nori watch them!"

"That's a heedless idea!" Thorin smacked his fist down on the table for emphasis. "If we let them communicate in any way, they will come up with an escape plan!"

"There are other ways to communicate," Dwalin countered. "What if one of the guards is a nomad too? Or if they sway one by sweet promises and lies? Nori said something about that the other day!"

"If we can't trust our very own guards, then we are doomed anyway!" Thorin huffed. "How lucky that our new allies are still around! We can test the strength of our friendship right away!"

"Thorin," spoke Dís, her warning tone stopping her brother's oncoming tirade.

"I think Dwalin's idea is reckless," he stated calmly, looking Fíli in the eye.

"Your concern is noted," Fíli said.

Thorin's stony face couldn't hide his displeasure, but he waited until they took a break to speak up.

"You are reckless," he sat down next to the young king. Fíli tensed: he was grateful that Thorin wouldn't openly scold him in front of the council, but his words still stung. "You tend to take unnecessary risks, without thorough contemplation for their value."

Dís brought over refreshments, putting a plate in front of Fíli, interrupting the discussion. Thorin's words effectively got rid of his appetite, but he didn't want to argue with his mother too, so he ate.

Thorin brightened up by Dís arrival, but the same couldn't be said about the dwarrowdam.

"We need to act quickly," she continued the discussion. "We can't let them cause more harm."

"I understand why it is so important for you," Thorin answered with an indulgent smile, reaching out for her hand. "I promise that we'll protect these dwarrowdams and the Spring Tour will be a huge success."

"Then get married!" Dís replied. "And let us hope that a wife can teach you that things don't always have to go your way!"

Thorin frowned, crossing his arms on his chest. He was studying Dís, who was staring him down.

"You do realize that I don't mean to undermine his rule?"

Dís raised her eyebrows. "Yes. I do realize that you don't mean to do that. But you should back off. He can make his own decisions, and it doesn't have to please you all the time."

"I'm just…"

"Yes, you're just going to sit back and offer constructive advice. As you said, the Spring Tour is very important for me, so please refrain from delaying the procedure."

She left, her brother staring at her baffled, her son in awe.

Thorin shook his head.

"Fíli, I truly mean well."

"I know…"

"I do believe that my advices can help you."

"I know, Thorin. And I'm truly grateful, but…" Fíli lowered his gaze. How should he tell him what he wanted without sounding like a whiny brat? "I appreciate your advice. Truly. But often, you're saying things that I've already thought of."

"Really?" This made Thorin curious. "Then why don't you say this?"

"Because I don't want to repeat myself so often. I'm not clueless, Thorin."

"I know…"

"Yet, you make me feel like I was," he said quietly.

"That isn't the case!" Thorin said, grasping Fíli's shoulder to make his point sink in. Unfortunately, he managed to grab the exact spot where Dwalin left a bruise, and Fíli let out a pained grunt. He immediately explained what happened: he didn't want Thorin to think that he wanted to shrug off his friendship. His uncle let out a booming laugh.

"It seems I cannot do anything right, concerning you," Thorin said, rubbing his eye.

"I don't want to push you away, Uncle. But I wish you would have more faith in me."

"I will," Thorin reassured him. "But I still think that you're often reckless. Maybe it's only your young age: you faced too little hardship, so you don't fear the loss as much as I do."

Fíli cringed. Had he not face hardship or loss? What about his father? What about the years he and his mother had spent keeping together the small community, keeping them loyal to Thorin and building the village? Granted, Thorin had a good reason to spend so much time afar, but still, Fíli felt that claiming he had faced too little hardship was harsh. But Thorin was smiling kindly, and this conversation was closer to an apology than Fíli expected from him, so he wouldn't argue now.

Thorin leaned closer.

"And maybe you should stop hiding behind your mother's skirts," he said in a teasing manner, but his words struck Fíli deeply. Thorin stood and left him alone, but Fíli wouldn't be able to shake these words from his head for a very long time.

* * *

Right now, Alin hated her life. She cursed the day when her mother came home with the news of the Spring Tour, and she cursed her decision to come here at all.

She wasn't obliged to come. Her parents only encouraged her sister to sign up, since Malin was fifteen years her senior, in the age when most dwarrowdams married. Alin was barely out of her seventies, and while eligible for marriage, she didn't entertain any thought of settling down yet.

She only came because Malin wouldn't have come otherwise. Malin claimed she wasn't interested in marriage either, but their mother said that her interest would wake if she met new people. Alin, her confidant, knew that Malin was scared to go alone, so she they made a pact. They would go through this together.

Then Nori happened, and Nori didn't make pacts. He stated what would happen, and right now, he was adamant to keep Alin far away from Varni's trial.

Alin hated him for it.

She wanted to help.

She wanted to be with Zaz, who was given the chance to push charges.

She wanted to stop hiding, because Nori was gone for a whole night and day, and she didn't even know! He came to her in the middle of the night after he returned, and told her everything. He was facing various dangers and murderers, and she didn't even know! At least she knew now why Lady Dís looked so worried through the day; she understood her feelings perfectly. Her insolent lover made it out like he only wanted to spare her feelings, but Alin wanted to experience these feelings – what if he hadn't returned? Nobody would have told her about his fate. And he still had the audacity to demand secrecy!

They had quite a row.

Despite her explosive feelings, she respected his request, and spent the day in self-inflicted solitary. This way, she had the chance to reanalyze their argument.

" _Maybe you'll be better off without me!"_

Nori's vicious parting words echoed in her mind. She hoped he only said that out of anger, but he never lost control over his words and emotions.

Someone knocked, but Alin ignored it, hoping that the person would go away, but she heard as the lock clicked open. Her hope to see Nori was futile: he wouldn't come during the day.

"Oh, Alin, what's wrong?" Malin hurried to her side.

"Go away!" Alin growled, burying her head in her pillow. She was weeping, and she wanted _Nori_ to comfort her.

Malin was insistent: she pulled her little sister up, letting Alin rest her head on her shoulder. She was stroking Alin's hair in a soothing manner, but her kindness only reminded Alin of the distance her secrets put between them. She started sobbing, clinging to her sister desperately. She took her time to calm down, but Malin allowed her to do it on her own, only asking questions later – questions she didn't want to answer.

"Tell me what happened, little sister!" she pleaded. Alin shook her head. "Don't make me repeat Mother's words!"

A hint of a smile break to the surface from under all the sorrow and guilt she felt right now. They used to laugh at Mother's words, because they sounded ridiculous – yet, they couldn't deny that this piece of advice was the most precious gift she'd ever given to them apart from their life.

"Sisters share," Malin said out loud anyway, happy to see her smile. Her happiness was short lived: Alin shook her head.

"I don't want to," Alin admitted. "It's so stupid and I feel so bad…"

"Did you do something stupid?" Malin asked with mock-horror. "That cannot be true! You're always so rational!"

Alin blushed; she deserved that. Malin had always been a lot more sensible, and helped her out of any hole she dug herself into, but she couldn't help her out of this one.

"I can't tell you. It's something I have to do on my own."

Malin tightened her hold around her shoulder, and put her encouragement in words too.

"Will crying alone in your room accomplish that?"

Naturally, she was right, and when she finally left, Alin decided to stop wallowing in self-pity. She wanted to stop hiding. She wanted to help. She's going to do that, because it is the right thing to do.

She pulled herself together, wiped away her tears and fixed her braids. Zaz was going to give her testimony in the afternoon, and she planned to join her. Maybe she can seek out King Fíli before the meeting – Kasia kept saying lately that he's very kind and helpful, and Raya said the same.

In the vicinity of the council room, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and before she could scream, her mouth got covered too.

"Where are you going, Love?"

Her lover's voice stopped the blooming panic, but after he released her, she still had to focus on her breathing to calm down.

"Thank you for scaring me!" She wasn't happy seeing him. She wasn't happy with him at all after their argument. "Now let me go on my way!"

Nori was glaring at her with narrowed eyes.

"I thought I asked you to stay away from the trial."

"I would say 'ordered', but let's not argue about the semantics!"

"Then go home," he said, casually leaning against the wall.

She didn't deem it worthy of an answer. When she continued her way, Nori caught her wrist and gently pulled her back.

"Let me go!" she demanded.

"Don't go there. There's no point, they already know everything you can say."

"Is that so?" Her simmering anger flared up with a force that scared her, but she was past the point where she cared. "So I can't tell them anything, because you've already done so?"

"Shhh!" Nori shushed her, snapping to attention. "We shouldn't be heard. Or seen."

"Why shouldn't we? You've already told them everything, or did you manage to leave out the part that we're together? Are we, at all?" she mused, suddenly questioning everything that happened between them, everything she felt.

"It wasn't me," Nori hissed. "It was him. The fraud spilled the whole story, mixed with his lies."

"So they are supposed to trust Varni's lies?" she asked incredulously. "Instead of my word?"

Nori shamelessly tried to take the higher ground.

"Don't you trust _my_ word?"

Alin gasped in shock. Trusting him was all she'd been doing since meeting him! She kept his secrets. She didn't pry when he didn't want to talk. She did everything like he wanted, without demanding detailed explanations! This was the first time she disregarded his wish – would it be like this every time? Can she not make her own decisions anymore?

Nori's stance reminded her of a predator now, and suddenly, she had no idea if she was his partner or the prey. She knew which one she wanted to be, and this filled her with a sense of power that was foreign to her until now.

"Why don't you trust me to do the right thing?" she asked.

"Because it's not the right thing."

"It is," Alin said with conviction. "I can help them, and you know that."

"I don't know that!"

"Well, then let me test it!" Alin snapped, trying to go again, but Nori kept up with her.

"Don't do this! I only want to keep you safe. I only want what's best for you," he pleaded.

"Well, constant hiding is not good for me!"

Nori dropped behind, and she turned to see why. He looked at her with an unreadable face, which frightened her. She knew he was angry and probably scared for whatever reason a moment ago – where did those feelings go so suddenly?

"Maybe you're truly better off without me," he said nonchalantly, leaning against the wall.

Alin shook her head, her opinion accidentally slipping out of her mouth.

"You're a selfish moron."

He didn't react, so she hurried down the corridor. She found Zaz nearby, pacing nervously, while Kasia was sitting on the ground cross-legged, delivering a quite unsuccessful pep-talk. Her appearance surprised them, but both were happy that she decided to step up.

* * *

 **A/N:** Sorry for the long wait. We're in the finish now, only four or five chapters to go, and I'm trying to wrap up everything. It's kind of scary - I've never written anything as long as this story before, and I can't believe I will truly get to the end. I usually abandon ideas and stories after a while. It's going to be a nice change!

I hope you liked the new chapter!

SV


	24. The Maze of Justice

**The Maze of Justice**

Kasia dragged Fíli out to the corridor, into a hidden alcove, and shooed away his guard.

"I should replace Zaz as a witness," she whispered hurriedly.

The fact that Fíli was showing interest spoke volumes about the extent of the catastrophe that was happening inside the council room.

"No one would mistake you for her, and you have little to say on your own," Fíli said, scratching his beard, "but I can see why you'd do that. She can't go on like this. She will need to speak coherently. Amad said you've rehearsed her testimony."

"We did that! She knows what to say, I swear!"

Kasia felt just as frustrated as Fíli. Zaz managed to tell the story of her acquaintance with Varni; the problems started when the questioning began. Facing those dwarves, she got nervous. Her first sarcastic reply elicited doubt, and then she started mixing up events and people, giving too vague answers and telling irrelevant stories, which painted her as a seductress.

"Then why in Mahal's name is she incapable to answer simple questions?!"

She winced; Fíli's rightful fury made her feel useless. He radiated helpless frustration, his stance was rigid and his hands were clenched into fists. She had never seen him express so strong emotions – at one point, she even doubted that he had any at all – which made her wonder where he managed to find an outlet for them.

"I'm sorry," she said, determined to calm him down. She took his hands in hers, ignoring the discomfort his tight grip caused.

"Give me some time. Maybe I can talk some sense into her."

Fíli didn't believe her.

"I don't know how you'd accomplish that. Based on how she's been acting, her audience is more likely to think _her_ guilty than the criminals!" He was breathing heavily by now, and Kasia was at a loss. She had no words to offer, so she squeezed his hands to reassure him that he wasn't alone.

"Without her testimony, we can't accuse Varni. He was already in jail during the theft of the elven cargo, and the thieves got rid of their stolen merchandise – probably threw it into the lake."

"What about Alin?" Kasia asked.

"Alin!" Fíli snarled. "If we allow her to face Varni, we'll lose Nori's support, and we can't let that happen. Stubborn bastard," he mumbled.

"I don't know much about law and the proper process, but what if we don't make her face Varni?"

"She needs to face him so she can identify him. If he is indeed the person she wants to accuse, then she can proceed. Without this, her words can't provide evidence, only additional information, which we will need to prove through other means," Fíli summarized for her. "But thanks for trying. Sometimes, having someone less well-versed in the legal process can help us find loopholes. I can't believe we are resorting to finding loopholes!" he growled, looking pained. "That's not how I want to rule."

Kasia watched him as he slowly regained his bearings. She had no idea about ruling, but she had no problem with loopholes.

"You are right," he said. "We need to hear Alin out. She may point out something we've missed so far."

Kasia squeezed his hands again, before letting go.

They returned to the council room, where Balin was trying to coax out anything from Zaz, who was on the verge of tears by now. Fíli called the questioning to a halt, and Zaz hurried down from the platform.

"I'm sorry!" were her first words. She blinked away her tears, not wanting to be pitied. "I completely messed up everything!"

Kasia led her to the back of the room.

"Why?"

"It was so awful! And now they all think that it's my fault! Or worse, that I'm getting emotional over this!"

"Well…" Kasia couldn't finish the sentence. She didn't want to tell her that it was indeed the truth.

"We took him down! I'm not a helpless, naïve chit!"

"Shhh! Don't let Alin hear such words!"

Zaz looked up, scrunching her face, not really caring about anyone else's feelings right now.

"Fíli says you look more guilty than helpless."

"Fantastic," she said sarcastically. "Will he arrest me now?"

"No one is going to arrest you! Mahal's knotty beard, Zaz, can't you do this right? Had I known, I would have seduced him myself!"

Kasia regretted her words at the moment she spoke them. Her friend's eyes welled up with tears as she collapsed to the nearest chair, trying to suppress her sobs. Kasia sat down next to her, trying to apologize and console her, but Zaz didn't respond. She allowed Kasia to put her hand on her shoulder, but when she tried to pull her closer, Zaz shoved her away.

Kasia backed down. Zaz couldn't handle emotions and wouldn't accept sympathy. Eventually, she will calm down and pretend everything is alright, and go back to the interrogation, making a fool out of herself again, making Fíli even angrier. It cannot happen, and Kasia needed to find a solution by the time Zaz would become reasonable again.

In the other end of the room, Alin seemed to be doing well.

A dwarf of the council came over, probably to inquire about their progress under the pretense of bringing refreshments. Kasia let out an annoyed huff: she needed more time to get Zaz in shape.

"I brought some refreshments," he said.

"Thank you, Dori." Kasia's answer was polite, but sharp, yet, he didn't take the hint that he should leave.

"Is she alright? Does she need to rest? We can delay…"

"No," said Kasia. Fíli expressed his wish to finish this hearing as soon as possible. The elves should be leaving in less than a week, and he wanted to get this trial over by then. He needed the testimonies to be exact and precise. If only Zaz could talk clearly…

"Miss," Dori turned to Zaz. "Miss, are you alright? Do you need something?"

Zaz froze, but didn't answer.

"Miss Zaz, can I do anything for you?"

Kasia, both smug and desperate because someone else failed to get an answer out of her, chuckled.

"Come on, you don't have to call her Miss. We all are on friendly terms, aren't we?"

Dori looked at her, appalled by her suggestion.

"Bringing friendship in this room would only result in chaos. We need to follow the process and everyone gets the same treatment."

Kasia rolled her eyes. "You can't just leave your feelings outside the door."

"You can't," he agreed, "but abiding by the formalities can help a lot in that regard. It pains us to see a friend wronged, and the desire to avenge it might result in an unnecessarily vicious verdict. Miss Zaz?" He crouched down, hoping for a chance to catch her attention. "Please, take your time to recover. We all understand the difficulties of standing there. Let's hope it is a one-time only occasion for you."

To Kasia's surprise, Zaz reacted. She shook her head, lowering her head, until her fingers got tangled up in her braids. She was shaking her head continually, as if trying to shake a memory out of her mind.

"No, you don't know!"

"We know that speaking of such ordeal is difficult," Dori tried reassuring her. "We truly want to be considerate, if only you told us how to make you more comfortable!"

She looked up.

"Varni is a slime, I can say it as many times as you wish. But must you ask so many questions?"

"The point of this hearing is to get answers to our questions! Only then we can see the full picture and make a just decision."

"What if I can't do that? Will he get away?"

"Unfortunately, he may," Dori grudgingly admitted, "although I don't know every detail of the case."

Zaz hid her face behind her hands again. Dori stood, seeing that his presence didn't help.

"Miss Zaz? Please, try to calm down. I brought some chamomile tea, and a few biscuits. We would be very grateful if you can testify."

"Mister Dori!" He turned back, and waited patiently for her to calm down. She forced herself to breathe deeply, and Dori pushed the cup in her hand. She drank obediently, and wiped her eyes. Kasia was amazed how quickly she recovered.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Mister Dori," Zaz spoke, her voice quiet and emotionless, but steady. "I don't think I can answer the questions like this. I don't like sitting there, being stared at and judged."

"No one is judging you."

"Yes, but that's what it feels like…"

"We aren't judging you. We are looking for more information."

"Yes, but the questions…"

Zaz was losing it again, her breathing became shallow and her focus drifted from Dori. The dwarf noticed it though, and distracted her with the cup.

"Drink, Miss Zaz."

Zaz obeyed, and indeed felt better.

"The questions are necessary."

"They sound like accusations."

"Is there something you should be accused of?"

"No!" she cried out, drawing attention from the other end of the room.

"Try to remind yourself of that."

"They always end up to be accusations," Zaz shrugged. Her face and voice were devoid of emotions, but her posture was too rigid. She was ready to jump and run away, and Kasia had to watch out and stop her before that happens.

"Drink, Miss Zaz." When she complied, Dori continued. "I suspect that you have more experience with interrogations than you let on."

Zaz flinched. "Well, not officially, but yes, interrogation covers it nicely."

"Try to remember, that it's a different court," Dori said. He thought a little, clearing his throat. "Maybe we should make it look less official? Would you feel more comfortable in a nice sitting room?"

"Mahal, no!" Zaz grunted. "Don't pretend to be my friend here. That's making it worse."

Kasia drew her brows together. Zaz indeed kept it together until the first kind remark.

"We'll keep it in mind. Have a biscuit, Miss."

Zaz thanked him and obeyed, and soon, she was able to give her full testimony. They kept the questions short and to the point, and thankfully, she was able to stay unperturbed, and Kasia let out a relieved breath. They did it! Varni will get his due reward.

Finally, she accomplished something since coming to Erebor.

* * *

In the end, Fíli decided to hold a private trial. The public would only learn the outcome.

It was unconventional, as Thorin and Balin reminded him – still, not only the questionable emotional state of Zaz, but the intricate nature of the case justified that. Fíli also took the culprits' behavior into consideration: he didn't want to risk what Nori mentioned, and let them influence the crowd in any way. This case was incomparable to the minor quarrels discussed weekly in court or to anything that could happen in their small village in the Blue Mountains. The trial of Raya's parents weighed heavily on Fíli's mind now.

The shortage of evidence hindered the process greatly.

In Varni's case, they settled for harassment. Zaz didn't suffer any serious harm, even her bruises faded in a couple of days. Alin's testimony would have been enough on its own for a dire punishment, had Nori not been a stubborn, secretive idiot (who refused to get his ass anywhere near the proceedings, by the way). Still, dwarven law sanctioned even the intent of taking advantage of dwarrowdams and Alin provided valuable lead to a few merchants whom Varni disliked. This dislike was mutual, as it turned out. Varni was clever enough not to do too much harm at one place, but his tricky little deceptions were noticed and he'd managed to build up an untrustworthy reputation. These merchants were happy to step up against him now.

They had trouble finding any evidence against the dwarrowdam, Linka. It seemed that her only crime was to be present at these heinous acts. She didn't answer any question; they only learned her name from Alin. She was vile and defiant, spouting her venom and promising pain and suffering if she came to harm. Although the actions surrounding her spoke louder than words, they had trouble proving that she'd done anything wrong. She worked in the shop, but she was said to only help the customers. Despite fleeing with the brothers, she hadn't been seen at the scene of the theft. These nomads indeed were very well-versed in covering their traces.

A gloomy mood settled on the council room when they came to this conclusion after days of futile searching. In the end, Bard's list of injuries saved the day: despite Balin's presumptions, causing minor injury while under arrest was the only crime they actually found her guilty of. She attacked Bard's men several times on the ship, and while most injuries resulted in mere bruises (which would be dismissed by the court thanks to the preceding fight), the lass bit one of the soldiers. The bite mark clearly wasn't a battle injury, and the lass' teeth fit into it perfectly – not to mention the witnesses. Thus, without Bard's unprofessional list, keeping the lass locked up (lawfully) would have been very difficult.

Bard also decided to press charges on behalf of the murdered smuggler – although only the two dead dwarves raised their hands against him, the dwarrowdam's innocence couldn't be proven, thus, her complicity gave reason for a more severe punishment.

Since they caused much harm in Dale too, Fíli decided that the announcement of the verdict should take place on the western slopes of the Lonely Mountain, halfway between the two cities. They built a stage for the concerned parties, and the crowd – most of the inhabitants of Erebor and Dale – spread out on the field around them. Fíli hoped that some dwarves would recognize the criminals and come forward with information.

"Varni, of unknown parentage and clan," the Master of Ceremonies announced. "Convicted for suspicious business activity and harassment. His punishment is fifty years of prison."

The crowd cheered. Despite not detailing his crimes, everyone had heard about the theft of the elven cargo. According to Balin, thanks to a few well-placed comments, people drew the conclusions that the loss of the cargo would lead to desolate lands and a lack of food. Even if they didn't care about the destiny of some obscure elven package, the possibility of starving led to outrage.

"Linka, of unknown parentage and clan," the Master of Ceremonies continued.

"NOMAD!" the dwarrowdam shrieked. No one answered, as expected, but Fíli wondered how many felt a calling by this word. They will need to keep an eye on her.

"Convicted for minor assault and complicity in suspicious business activity, theft, vandalism and murder. Her punishment is fifty years of prison."

The crowd cheered even louder, especially the men of Dale, and Fíli exchanged a humorous glance with Bard.

"Bor and Sor, allegedly brothers, of unknown parentage and clan found their death during running from authority. They committed crimes of suspicious business activity, theft, assault, vandalism and murder, in alliance with the aforementioned Varni and Linka."

The crowd booed; they resented them without even knowing them.

Fíli stood, thanking everyone for their attendance, and called for the guards to escort the prisoners to their cells.

"I think it went well," Balin said. "Although keeping them in jail will be no doubt bothersome."

"That's true, but necessary," Fíli said. "Banishing them would attract more trouble. I thought we all agreed on that."

"Indeed. Congratulations for getting through this maze of justice for the first time!" Balin said with a proud smile. "Now, you've seen that enforcing our law is not as straightforward as we would like; knowing that someone is guilty and actually proving it is two very different thing. Let's celebrate now, and let's solve tomorrow's problems on the morrow."

"You made a smart decision by keeping them apart for now," Thorin commented. He was hesitant to speak up since their last conversation, but he felt safe now voicing his opinion, especially since it was positive.

"We have fifty years to study their interactions," Fíli answered smugly. The talk with Thorin touched him deeply, and he realized that Thorin might have a point about hasty decisions. This way, they took care of the urgent matter, while hanging onto the opportunity of unraveling the mystery behind the nomads' mass appearance in the Lonely Mountain. He felt very clever for arranging this.

"Let's hope it won't take us fifty years to get a result!"

Thorin patted him on the shoulder, and left with most of the councilors, only to be replaced by Haldír on Fíli's side.

"Thank you for the swift conclusion, Your Majesty. Your actions throughout our stay are appreciated by my people, and your alliance will be kept in high regard by our Lord and Lady."

"Thank you for the invaluable work that you've done on our lands. I think this exchange was enlightening for the both of us. I look forward cultivating this friendship between Erebor and Lothlórien. I will pray to Mahal to grant you a safe journey to your home."

Haldír accepted his comment with a bow. The elves were to depart next morning. A farewell feast would be held in Dale later in the day, and Fíli would go down to say goodbye more informally, but to be seen here together was important.

Bard joined them for a moment, also complimenting Fíli and Erebor for the justice served. They left soon, with the promise of the dwarves joining them for the feast.

Since the weather was warm, Fíli chose to enjoy a little more of the summer afternoon by going back on foot. He looked around for company: Amad was chatting and laughing in a circle of women. Fíli spotted Sigrid and Vera there, with an elf and some of the dwarrowdams from the Spring Tour. His mother was pleased for the moment, but Fíli didn't forget her anxious request to conduct a new investigation into the background of the Spring Tour participants. They had a lot of work to do, but since it was the second major offense tied to the event, Fíli agreed that it was better to be safe than sorry.

Kasia was standing on the edge of the circle, making faces. He surprised her by asking for her company. She was very grateful.

"I can only pretend for so long to be clever and worldly," she complained, pulling a braid in front of her shoulder. "I didn't understand half of their questions, so I tried to look overwhelmed by relief and happiness. I was nodding and agreeing every time someone talked to me! I swear my head is moving on its own volition!" she moaned, demonstrating the motion in an exaggerated manner, while tugging on the braid.

Fíli, familiar with this nervous habit of hers, weaved her arm through his, and placed her other hand on his elbow. She didn't seem to detect his purpose, but didn't oppose to the touch.

"You sell yourself short."

"Oh, don't bother. I know where my place is!" She tried to play down her value, but the hint of a smile in the corner of her lips suggested that she was pleased by the compliment. "I'm just a poor girl playing queen."

Fíli choked on his breath, even his step faltered.

"You do realize it's a bit ambiguous, especially when you're walking on my arm?"

Kasia giggled.

"Oh, hush! Being queen must be awfully lot of work, and you're still the dullest dwarf I've met here!"

She'd said so several times already, but it still stung.

"I'm not dull! I'm… responsible, yes, but who do you think taught Kíli everything he knows?"

Her face fell.

"Even the disappearing act?"

Fíli flushed, but didn't respond. Fortunately Kasia didn't expect an answer and changed the topic to the feast and the eternal who-dates-who, which enwrapped the whole Spring Tour.

Before joining the festivities in Dale, Fíli had to oversee the start of the prisoners' sentence in the dungeons. It was supposed to be an easy, short task, but when he arrived, he found quite a ruckus. The two nomads, sticky and stinky from the stuff the onlookers threw at them on the way back and with their hands still bound, were fighting on the corridor, while the guards, Dwalin among them, were watching the tussle with no intention of breaking them apart.

"What's happening here?" Fíli asked Dwalin.

"A fight," he stated, implying surprise over Fíli's obtuseness.

"And why are you just standing by?"

"Because I'm waiting for the lass to win, so I can collect my winnings," he said, not at all concerned. "Pay a little attention," he growled, lowering his voice. "The dwarrowdam started the fight, she may have something to say. She really doesn't want to spend her next fifty years down here."

Fíli's shoulders slumped; they planned to observe their interactions at a later time, and in a pre-arranged environment. Yet, Dwalin was right: what's a better indication of their relationship than an impromptu fight just after learning their unpleasant fate?

Varni was lying on his stomach, his tied hands trapped under his body. The dwarrowdam, Linka, was straddling him, mercilessly punching his sides and digging her elbows into him.

"It's your fault!" she hissed, pulling his hair so hard that Varni had to raise his head in pain. "It's your fault, you imbecile! How could you get caught?"

"Get off, wench!" Varni groaned. "It was your idea!"

"Mine!" The lass suddenly let go of his hair, allowing his head to fall back. His nose met the ground with a loud, crunching sound.

"Yours!" Varni didn't seem affected by his broken nose. He managed to unsettle Linka with a well-timed twist of his hips, and the lass sprawled out. Varni stood and fixed her with his foot on her stomach. "Your bloody ambitions! Your insane plans and atrocious advices! Touch 'em and they're mine? Are you bloody out of your mind?"

Linka was trying to shimmy out from under him, but Varni was increasing the pressure, keeping her in place.

"You said these rich lasses have grown stupid in their spoilt life and will agree to anything! That they are so depraved for a touch that they will fall to their knees 'after the first sparkle of pleasure'!" He kicked her side for adding emphasis. She let out a grunt; the guards inhaled as one, appalled by her rough handling. She might have been the instigator of this fight, but most dwarves still wouldn't raise a hand, and certainly not a leg against her. "You said we should get one for the money and the place inside the Mountain! You said that the Queen will be pleased if we grant her a free way to the throne! It! Was! All! You!" By the end, Varni was kicking her for each word, and Dwalin finally dragged him off of the lass, locking up both.

"You didn't have to fail twice!" the dwarrowdam sneered from behind the bars. Varni let out a string of rude Khuzdul words. Linka turned away, and hobbled to the back of her cell, hugging her side.

"Maybe I should've broken up the fight," Dwalin said, displeased. He pulled out a few coins, handing them to a smug-faced guard. "The lass looked fierce. We all backed her except for this skeptic."

"At least we've learnt something about their motivation," Fíli frowned. He didn't like the implication that someone they called 'Queen' wanted to come here. He hoped they eliminated this threat by getting rid of the possible messengers, either through incarceration or through death – at least he would hope for that tonight, and talk to his council tomorrow.

"Aye, and I was right," Dwalin grumbled, not that it filled him with an awful lot of cheer. "The lass seems to be the boss. They had this harebrained idea about dwarrowdams and propriety," he said incredulously, with a low chuckle. "Mahal's ass, they are stupid! Do you mind if I take my leave now?"

"Aren't you coming to the feast?"

"Nah, I've had enough of those pixies for a while. We're better off if I celebrate their departure in private."

* * *

 **A/N:** It's new chapter day! The criminals are behind bars and the rest can celebrate. How fitting that I'm publishing this today...

Next, we'll see two feasts! In it: a dwarven apology, a persistent suitor and a persistent lover.

Thanks for the reviews!

To **Emrfangirl:** Thanks! They both really deserve some head-knocking – they mean well, but they cling too hard to their own views. Nori will not get away with this for long! Actually, there's a lot more stories to tell still, but I needed a stopping point here. I think I can get everyone to a happier place by then, so I hope it's not going to disappoint.

SV


	25. Two Feasts

**Two Feasts**

The party in Dale had already started by the time Fíli arrived. Bard greeted him, asking for a few words in private. He gladly complied with the request, thinking that he would be offered a fancier drink than the one served for the meal, but he got sorely mistaken.

"Thank you for handling the trials," Bard started, avoiding the dwarf's eyes. Fíli thought that his fidgety countenance was related to strong gratitude, with perhaps a touch of humility. He pondered what he could say, but the man looked up with a steely expression that Fíli hadn't seen directed at himself before. "I'm much obliged, truly. I'm also aware that no matter how hard we try to pretend that we're equals, we are not. I know that my position and the welfare of my people depend greatly on your goodwill, and I'm very grateful that despite all of it, you treat me as a friend. I like you as a person, I admire your knowledge and experience, and your help and advices are very valuable."

Fíli frowned, confused. "Is there any reason for bringing up these things now?"

"Yes. I've seen you argue with Sigrid again on the night of the theft. I don't know what is going on between you two, nor do I care. I only know that she's my daughter, and when she came home after your spat the other day, I could see that she had cried. I didn't want to bring it up until we cleared up all the mess, but you two had a row again before we went on the chase, in public, nonetheless! As I said, I don't want to know the details; I don't care who started it or what was said. She's my daughter, and if I see her reduced to tears by you again, I will severe any relationship between you and me once and for all."

His passionate speech left Fíli dumbstruck. Bard was deathly serious, the expression on his face left no doubt that he would follow through with the threat. Although he didn't like to be reprimanded, the young dwarf had to admire Bard for standing up for his daughter, and he also had to admit that he was right to do so.

He stood the man's glare, but his guts were squirming uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have allowed that to happen."

"I hope that you understand that I'm not only talking about public arguments."

Fíli lowered his gaze to the ground. Bard was right: arguing in public was the worst image he could show regarding the two realms' relationship, but keeping their conflict private wouldn't erase the hurt feelings. Bard was glaring at him, imploring him to say something. Fíli had no words to offer, but Bard let out a long breath, probably satisfied with what he'd seen on the dwarf's face.

"I want you to apologize. Tonight, preferably; I can send her in now. It's nobody's business but ours."

Bard was leaving, and Fíli watched him, paralyzed by his out of character actions.

His mind said that he should rage and throw a fit for being forced into such humiliation. Bard's threat, while impressive, shouldn't concern him: he would manage to circumvent Dale somehow. He had the funds for that.

His heart however said that his actions were wrong. He wasn't the sort of person who made women cry. He held grudges, but wasn't vengeful. He valued Bard's friendship.

He wanted to be a good person and a good king, but he couldn't get rid of Thorin's shadow, or the memories of his deterioration under the spell of the dragon sickness. He wanted to avoid the same fate. He needed Bard's friendship, because he was an honorable man, and he trusted Fíli to be the same.

A timid knock snapped him out of his musings. Sigrid walked in. Her slow approach told him that she was just as apprehensive about this meeting as him. They usually did everything in their power not to be in a room by themselves.

"I'm not sure what can we talk about," she said defensively, "I'm only here because Da told me to come."

Fíli cleared his throat, averting his eyes, only to remember that he shouldn't let his guard down. The woman was sneaky and often had an agenda.

"Yes, that's the only reason I'm here too," he hurried to clarify. "He made me aware that I've treated you unkindly," he said, trying to downplay what happened, but it came out wrong.

"Generally, you treat me unkindly," she stated, crossing her arms on her chest with a frustrated huff. They both knew that this truce was just a farce and wouldn't erase their discord, so he decided to be as truthful as possible.

"I know we don't get on," he said, a little harsher than intended, but at least, Sigrid relaxed. Overt friendliness would just make her suspicious and angry. "I have no wish to change that. But your father is my friend and you're a useful ally in crisis. I've got carried away a few times recently. It won't happen again. Let's just continue to keep a healthy distance, and I'll keep my temper in check."

Well, he was truthful to the point of rudeness, but Sigrid was now studying him with an inscrutable face.

"Is this the dwarven way of saying sorry?" she asked after a little contemplation. Fíli nodded. A radiant smile lit up her face. Fíli backed away in fear that she would like to seal the peace by any action. He tensed when she grabbed his hand. "In this case, thank you. Most people can't rise above their feelings."

"I like to think that I'm a better person than most," Fíli growled.

She smiled, squeezing his hand.

"I know that you're a wonderful person."

"Well, this wonderful person is leaving now," he said, freeing his hand and slipping out of the room before she could say or do anything else.

He nodded at Bard, signing that he completed the mission. The man raised his cup in approval, but he didn't truly relax until his daughter appeared with a happy smile.

Fíli desperately needed a drink – something potent, but they wouldn't waste the good stuff on such a large gathering. He looked around for company, and his moment of hesitation cost him a lot.

"Fíli! Your Majesty! It's so good to see you tonight!" a woman squealed right behind him. He cringed, recognizing the voice as one he dearly wished to avoid.

"Good evening, Seenia," he said. He wouldn't hurt her feelings by openly expressing his dislike of her pushy company, but he couldn't feign pleasure or excitement. He didn't need to: she clapped her hands and sighed deeply, promising to guarantee him a pleasant time. He snatched a full cup he found abandoned on a table, not caring to get his own. To shut her up, he asked her for a dance, but she was perfectly capable of gushing and moving at the same time. Interestingly, she seemed incapable of keeping a proper distance. He was getting one sticky hand away from his butt, while the other was sneakily sliding higher up on his arm, until she was touching the nape of his neck. He shook his head before she could entangle her fingers in his hair, and pretended to stumble only to get away from her. He didn't mind gaining a reputation as a clumsy dancer, if Mahal granted him the chance to escape.

Mahal wasn't in a generous mood tonight: only Kasia passed him on the arm of a young and handsome dwarf.

"Get a room, Your Majesty!" she mock-whispered.

She danced away, laughing very hard, leaving Fíli angry and embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, my legs aren't cooperating anymore tonight," he said to Seenia through gritted teeth. He pretended to look for refreshments, and checked the room, hoping to find someone to save him.

Amad kept shooting him disapproving glares – she must be thinking that he only wanted the girl to warm his bed tonight. Dwalin didn't come down at all, probably enjoying a quiet night with his lady. Thorin and most of the councilors had already left. They still weren't comfortable around the elves, but Fíli appreciated their effort to mingle for a short time. Nori was who knows where, still sulking because of Alin's involvement in the trial. Ori was preparing for a trip, and although he could spot one or two friendly faces, like Bofur, they were too pissed to be of any use. His steadfast guard was engaged in a conversation with Seenia's partner in crime – probably, by design, since he'd already interrupted them once. Bard would see his situation as due punishment after hurting his precious daughter, and while said daughter could probably get rid of the clingy 'dam very effectively, Fíli didn't want her meddling in his business.

Oh, how he missed his brother now!

Salvation came from the unlikeliest of source. Raya, the little golden sunshine approached, with Haldír on her side. The elf whispered something to her and left, and she came over.

"Seenia, do you mind leaving us alone for a minute?" she asked politely. Seenia was reluctant to do so, but Raya cleverly hooked her arm through Fíli's, effectively pushing Seenia away, since two 'dams couldn't hang on the same arm without considerable awkwardness.

Raya led him upstairs to a balcony. Fíli took a deep breath of the cool fresh air, appreciating his newly regained freedom. He soon recalled the person who freed him, and turned to her.

"Thank you! You have perfect timing! Is there a problem with the elves?" he asked, worried, when it occurred to him that she may have had a purpose for approaching him. She was smiling and was in a good mood, so it couldn't be very serious.

"No, there isn't, but Haldír said I should get you away from her before you make a fool of yourself on their last night here."

Fíli flushed. The fact that Haldír noticed meant that he'd already accomplished that.

"Then please pass along my thanks to him."

"I will," she said, not holding back her giggles. Fíli sneaked a glance at her: she looked well. He noticed a new air of confidence around her. He wondered how much of it came from her interactions with the elves.

"You got on well with them."

"Yes," she nodded, staring over the city. "They didn't mind my presence, but I don't think they wanted me to learn. Except for Haldír, he was always very helpful."

Fíli snorted, reminded of the elf's latest help.

"That's good."

"He says that his companions have great respect for you and Bard."

That surprised the young king.

"They do? They did a very good job of hiding that."

"It's because of the cultural differences. Some of them are more than two thousand years old. For them, we are all children, but you are a remarkable child, less rash and temperamental than most."

Something in the reverent way Raya spoke of them humbled him. Maybe he was seeking praise from the wrong place all this time – he craved Thorin's approval, even though his original goal was to gain the elves' alliance. Finally, it seemed that all those planning and sleepless nights were worth it. He chuckled nervously to disguise his growing pride. He'll need to thank Nori, because his reports gave him a lot of leverage, which often helped him to maintain his composure.

"I see that you took your studies seriously," he said, trying to redirect the attention from him.

"Of course I did!" Raya exclaimed. "Finally, I had a purpose! My life stopped being a meaningless, endless wait for an acceptable groom. You gave me a chance, how could I not take it seriously?"

Raya's vehemence surprised him. He had thought that her insecurity was caused by the new environment. He didn't understand when she said that her life had been empty. Seeing her now, there was an undeniable difference in her countenance.

Being king meant that he had to make decisions about people's lives; usually, in a negative way by taking their money, their limbs, their freedom or more. He didn't think much about the positive effects of his actions. Erebor was prospering, and he supposed everyone found something to do. It was easier to keep his distance, because there would be people along the way to help each other up, but _he_ would be going after the one who caused the stumble. Yet, seeing Raya, full of pride for doing something he told her to achieve, made him think if he should take this risk more often.

He wondered if other dwarrowdams were suffering from similar issues. They should look into it, because giving them a new home was just the beginning. Giving them a new life is an entirely different thing.

* * *

Not everyone in Erebor was interested in feasting with the elves and men.

Alin and her family, for example, were having a different farewell dinner, since the parents' visit has come to an end.

She wasn't really looking forward to it.

She missed her parents during the first weeks of her stay here, and having them so close gave her a sense of security.

Her parents also invited their new friends too. Alin never cared much about the company they kept. She learned their names and greeted them on the market, but that was all.

Here, though…

Father manage to pick Nori as his best friend.

First, there was the betting. Later, Nori introduced him to influential people and helped him to a few profitable deals. He also got them a stall for the Day of Crafts in the last minute, and somewhere on the way they became drinking buddies, who went out together every week.

Had she not known better, she would have thought that her lover was trying to impress her father, maybe with a purpose… but Alin knew better, since Nori avoided her now.

Her lover arrived late. He checked her out with quick, barely noticeable glances, but otherwise, ignored her. His rejection caused an ache in her heart, but she refused to be miserable anymore. She was insulted, and rightfully angry. He owed her an explanation for his absence, at the least.

When her mother announced dinner, the company slowly trickled over to the dining room. It was time to act. She inched closer to him, and when someone tried to pass, she pretended to stumble, and got pushed into Nori. She was pretty proud of her cunning accident, since she managed to knock a few decorative pieces to the ground too.

She made sure to apologize deliberately loudly.

"Oh, how clumsy I am! I'm so sorry!"

He was looking at her with wide eyes, realizing that he could avoid her no longer. His gaze flicked around for an escape route, but Alin continued.

"I truly hate to further inconvenience you, but can you maybe help picking these up?"

Nori, still too stunned, nodded. He moved to grab something without taking his eyes off of her. Alin checked if anyone was in hearing distance.

"Stop avoiding me!" she hissed. "At least tell me what's your problem!"

Nori narrowed his eyes.

"I think I was pretty clear about my problem."

"No, really not!" she argued. "If you are angry because I'm not your obedient little subject, than please, rethink your position!"

"That's not how I see you!"

Alin fixed him with an unimpressed glare. "The first time I do something against your wishes, and you… you vanish!"

"Why couldn't you trust me on this?" He actually looked hurt – not only in his expression, but in his eyes too. She reached for his hand and squeezed it gently. He didn't remove it, and it filled her with hope.

"Why couldn't you trust me to do the right thing? I helped a lot. They kept me safe, King Fíli didn't even let me close to him."

Nori let out a derisive snort. "Well, then King Fíli can keep you safe. I meant it, Alin," he said on a lower voice. "You're radiant and precious, and I made a mistake by wanting you for myself."

"This doesn't make any sense!" She wanted to reassure him of her love, but he finally stood.

"How can I make you understand?" he whispered harshly, before stalking out of the room.

He found the most painful way to demonstrate how serious he was.

Thanks to this horrid attempt to reconcile, she was late for dinner. She sat down near Malin, who was surrounded by Spring Tour participants. Malin's friend, Lee and her fiancée, Ori, will travel to the Iron Hills too, to ask for the blessing of Lee's kin. Alin's parents invited them to travel together – Alin was pretty sure where the idea came from.

Malin and Lee carried the bulk of the conversation, both excited about the upcoming nuptials. Alin barely paid attention, choosing to sulk silently instead, until she realized that Malin was freely talking about how they grew up together.

"You had to share a room?" Lee asked incredulously. "But you're so rich! Even I had my own room from a very young age!"

"Only because you have a bunch of older brothers!" Malin corrected her. "Sleeping among them would be unseemly, but with sisters, it's different." She lowered her voice. "Actually, Mother was right. By sharing everything, especially the room, sharing secrets came easily. I liked those late night conversations in the dark."

"Yes, that sounds nice," Lee said wistfully. "But have you never been envious?" she asked, intrigued. "Mahal knows, I've always guarded my possessions fiercely!"

"I am happy if she is happy. Actually, it makes it a lot better," Malin said sincerely.

"What about you, Alin?"

Alin winced.

"The same," she uttered. She hated how it sounded fake now, even though she wished it was still true. She didn't dare to meet Nori's mocking gaze, nor anybody else's, where she'd meet judgment, had they been able to see into her mind.

The disaster happened soon after this conversation.

Nori jostled his way next to Malin, and started showering her in compliments.

"I will miss your father dearly, although no doubt your feeling of loss will be greater," he drawled. Malin was surprised that he addressed her: Nori visited the family a few times, but rarely talked to any of the girls.

"Yes, but their whole life is there, and Erebor is beautiful."

"Indeed," Nori said, leaning closer, but before he spoke again, he checked Alin with a furtive glance, if she was watching.

(She was watching. The vile creature! Ignoring her and consoling her sister? What was he playing at?)

"Let me say that present company is only adding to it," Nori continued.

"Oh, I doubt there's much to add!" Malin started fiddling with her bracelets, not quite knowing how to answer. Alin's lips began to curl downwards. Her sister was so clueless! Of age, true, but Malin had never had a suitor – the attention always shifted to the more attractive younger sister.

"Is this copper?" Nori asked, tracing her hand with a finger, studying the bracelet.

"Yes," she said, blushing. It was her plainest jewelry – an old birthday gift, a reminder of their happy childhood. Nori must have caught on to its sentimental value. He was very observant and clever; Alin especially liked that about him. She really had to make an effort to overdo him in this regard.

Nori adjusted a strand of hair behind Malin's ear. She blushed shyly, while Nori made an insipid comment about Malin's copper-colored hair. He listened to her rambling answer with a casual smile, but when Malin felt that she talked too much and cast her eyes down again, Nori rolled his eyes.

That's when Alin had enough.

She didn't want to make a scene, so she quietly slipped out, and found herself a quiet corner. She sat down on the ground, hugging her knees to her chest, doing her best not to cry.

Nori warned her that he wanted to break up, but she'd never thought he'd go to such a great length to get his way. The only thing Alin didn't understand was _why?_

She thought they were in love. It was definitely true on her part, but did he love her? He rarely said the words, but it made them all the more convincing. Was it all a pretense, a game? Was she a victim for the second time? Was it too much to expect an answer once in a while?

He was clever and observant, and she liked it about him, but for this reason, he knew exactly where to strike to break her heart irrevocably. She would never stand in the way of her sister's happiness.

She resolved herself to get this issue sorted permanently tonight. She didn't want to be part of anyone's games anymore. If Nori didn't love her, then she would back off. This possibility horrified her, because without him, she had nothing to keep her in Erebor. She kept her friendships superficial and she consciously avoided to stand out, all because she wanted to keep her thrilling secret, as he wished. Not that she had any idea how to fit in: she had no particular talent, except for being pretty and sociable. But _that,_ she could do at home too. Maybe if she and Nori were really over, she should return to the Iron Hills with her parents. She had signed a contract that she would stay in Erebor for a year because of the Spring Tour, but she figured they could claim a family emergency.

She joined the gathering in the sitting room with a forced smile on her face. Malin immediately appeared on her side, thankfully, without Nori.

"Are you alright?" she asked, concerned.

Alin shook her head, the motion becoming her general answer lately. Their mother would reprimand her for the common gesture, but it didn't matter. Her mother would be too speechless to reprimand her, had she known everything.

"Alin, talk to me! You're so upset, and lately, I know so little of what's going on with you!"

No matter how much she wanted to tell Malin everything now, she knew that she should be talking to someone else first.

"I will tell you later," she promised finally. Her words pained her sister, but she couldn't be swayed anymore.

"Can't I do anything for you?"

"Maybe you should stay away from the dwarf you were talking to," she said slowly, making a conscious effort to suppress her feelings. Maybe she'll conclude that Nori is a scoundrel, like Varni – Lady Vera warned them to pay attention after that scum was arrested. Oh, she would have the laugh of her life!

Such cruel thoughts were foreign to her until now, and she really wanted to get rid of them.

She located her target: her lover was currently talking to his little brother, with a scowl on his face. He seemed to be aware that he needed protection tonight, since he cleverly kept a shield of people between them. He tried to sneak away undetected, but her fury tuned her senses to notice his every move, every word, every breath tonight.

She gathered every morsel of her courage to go through with her rather reckless plan. She remembered his dangerously quick reflexes, so she knew that approaching him from behind unexpected wouldn't go well – except if he was rendered motionless. She took a clean-looking knife from the dinner table, and when he exited the sitting room, she followed him and held the knife to his back like she'd seen him do to Varni.

Her plan was working: he froze, until he checked who was there.

"Are you going to use that stuff on me?" he asked, humoring her. He would have no trouble turning the situation in his favor in a blink of an eye.

"If I must," she lied confidently. She had neither the skill nor the strength for it.

Nori let out a slow breath, and turned to face her. With unnerving calmness, he wrapped his hands around hers, around the hilt of the knife, but Alin wrenched it away. Nori frowned, annoyed.

"You're forbidden to leave without an explanation!" Alin said hurriedly.

"I have nothing to explain," he stated nonchalantly.

"That's golden!" she exclaimed, her fisted hand finding its way to her hips. She shook her head forcefully and her soft, strawberry locks fell in front of her face, tickling her cheeks. She angrily pushed them back to their place, and pointed the knife at him accusingly. "You come into my parents' home, and insult them with flirting with one daughter, while… while…"

"While what?" he asked impatiently.

"What am I to you? A lover? An exciting secret? Needed for physical release? Was anything you've ever said true?"

During her whispered speech, he started cleaning his nails with a knife of his own (slightly meaner-looking than hers), but he raised an eyebrow as an answer for her last question.

"I told you we should stop seeing each other."

"That's stupid!" Alin cried out, exasperated. Suddenly, she felt like the ground had opened under her, and she was falling, with no clue how far. "I thought we had something! I thought…"

"I used to think a lot of things, but that doesn't make them true," he commented cynically.

"Tell me that you don't love me."

For a heartbeat, Nori was silent, and Alin hoped that he would fall to his knees and beg for her forgiveness, but no.

"I don't love you," he spoke, keeping his eyes on his nails.

She let out the breath she was holding.

"That's not very convincing."

"Sorry."

"Oh you infuriating, loathsome liar! You can start explaining your disappearance now, or look me in the eyes and tell me you don't love me!"

Her heart was beating loudly. Her hope for a good outcome was diminishing rapidly, since Nori was still cleaning his nails and checking the result.

Finally, he slowly looked her over, keeping his face blank, but he took his time on her waist, her hands, her hair – the parts she knew he loved the best. He avoided her gaze as long as he could, but in the end, he did it. He was keeping the eye contact, opening his mouth, only to close it again. His face revealed nothing, but he didn't speak for the second try either, and at the third, he uttered:

"I don't have to tell you anything!"

His petulant words strangely comforted her. She even managed a faint smile.

"Maybe we should talk later," she said. "You're much more talkative in bed."

Nori smirked.

"Since lately you've forgotten the way to my room, maybe I shall visit you from now on!"

Nori drew his brows together, searching her face, unable to decide if she was serious.

* * *

 **A/N:** I almost forgot that it's already Thursday, but here's the new chapter - with the promised apology, Seenia attaching herself to Fíli again and Alin finally confronting Nori. His mind is an interesting place, and we'll discover it in the next chapter!

I hope you liked this one - a few words in the box below would make me very happy!

SV


	26. Knowing When to Go

**A/N: One chapter closer to the end!**

 **The** _ **/italics/**_ **will be Nori's memories. We'll finally see into his head, but he doesn't necessarily say what he thinks.**

 **I hope you'll like this one!**

 **SV**

* * *

 **Knowing When to Go**

Apparently, no matter how hard she worked to create a safe and comfortable environment, where everyone can focus on their heart's desire, love preferred to run its course in the most peculiar ways. Dís only now realized that she'd put too much power and too little guidance in the hands of the participants of the Spring Tour: perhaps even Varni would have been found out sooner. Some of these dwarrowdams, although of age, were barely more than children, with their spoiled upbringing and optimistic views – thanks to her own, very different experiences, she had made the mistake of forgetting about this. She needed to revisit her ideas to truly declare this venture successful.

In the meantime, she would need to attend to this 'urgent meeting'.

"Nori?"

The dwarf was shuffling his feet and clutching his hands behind his back, clearly in an attempt to stay still. His gaze jumped from object to object, and Dís wondered where he found the necessary self-restraint to not touch anything. Considering his nature, it was an admirable feat.

He followed Dís to her sitting room, and obediently took a seat in the cozy armchair. His gaze fluttered around again, checking out the room. Dís picked up the shiniest item nearby, and placed it on the middle of the ancient table in front of them. It would serve the purpose of channeling down his frustration better than his disgusting nail-picking habit. When it finally attracted Nori's attention, Dís felt safe to speak.

"You'd better have a lot to say, since I was dragged away from the most eye-opening conversation," she said.

"Oh?" he said, raising an eyebrow. He picked up the item, and nonchalantly examined it from every angle. "You need to kick me out of this Spring Tour."

"That's not going to happen unless you have a very good reason for it."

She had a very good reason to sign up the whole Company: she needed allies to keep them in line. She was tired of being the only female dealing with them and enduring their antics. Some of them were on their way to the bliss of marriage, and she wondered why Nori, out of all of them, would demand such extreme measures _now_.

He put the object back to the table. He sank into the armchair, forming a tent with his fingers, and said with calculated seriousness:

"I took advantage of a girl."

Dís rewarded this confession with an incredulous scowl.

"Really?"

"It's the truth."

"I see," Dís nodded, carefully considering how to proceed now. He wouldn't break under her silent inspection. She pursed her lips; she didn't anticipate this turn of the events. She was told quite a different story in Vera's room. Nori liked playing the most infuriating games, so Dís forced herself to be patient and decided to hear his end of the story. With a little luck, she might even discover the truth by the end. "Why don't you tell me how it happened?"

Nori seemed to relax, and started to explain.

"It happened in the most usual way. She's an innocent girl, fairly easy to take advantage of. I singled her out right when they arrived. She looked…"

.

 _/He was lazing around near the gates, curious to get a glance of the newcomers as soon as possible, but hidden enough not to draw any attention. The dwarrowdams were greeted at the gates by Dís, and Nori peeked out from under his lids to size them up. He didn't have an overwhelming desire to acquaint himself with this noisy bunch, but a strange color caught his eye. He sat up unconsciously, the distinctive blond locks with a reddish hue attracting his gaze like any glittering trinket. She must have sensed the weight of his stare, because she turned, clearly looking for something – or rather someone. Her gaze slid over him at first, but her mind seemed to register with a little delay that he was looking at her, so she met his eyes, and smiled at him._

 _He cocked an eyebrow; the perfect gesture to hide his embarrassment at getting caught and conveying a challenge./_

.

"Pretty?" Dís helped him out, wondering where his mind drifted off to.

"Yes," Nori stared at her blankly. "She is pretty. You know how I love to collect pretty things," he said, picking up the item Dís had put in front of him earlier. "I sought her out during their welcome party. She'd never stood a chance."

.

 _/He struck up conversation with two of the dwarrowdams, who were the most willing to join the fray at the welcome feast. He was fishing for a name with his offhanded questions, before approaching her. He asked her for a dance. She accepted with an impish smile, recognizing him. They assumed the proper position, only he couldn't bear the distance between them. He drew her closer. Her cheeks warmed, but she leaned into him; their bodies fitting together perfectly. He had to let her go – he didn't want to arouse suspicion, but he couldn't get very far. He couldn't help brushing her with a hand when they passed each other, or accidentally reaching for the refreshments at the same time._

 _She seemed to be aware of what he was doing, which caused a foreign fluttering in his stomach. His whole body felt like he was on fire, but he wouldn't back away from this heat./_

.

"She must have been elated to have such a distinguished suitor."

"I made sure of it."

 _._

 _/He followed her to her room, only to know which despicable door was going to separate them._

 _He returned to that corridor on the next night, slipping inside a pretty bracelet. He held his ear to the door, listening for any noise, but silence reigned in her room. He wondered if she was sleeping, and if she did, would she be sprawled out on the bed, or curled up? Was she entangled in her blankets, or was she lying innocently ladylike?_

 _He kept returning every night, listening in and slipping inside carefully chosen, small gifts under the door. Somehow, she knew that these came from him, since she always greeted him with a conspiratorial smile when they met during the day, but he always pretended to be busy. He didn't have a thing to say to her. She was merely his newest obsession._

 _A few days passed, and with his mind in such an upheaval, he found the underground oppressive. He spent the day outside, uselessly, mostly fiddling on a piece of wood with his knife. By the end,_ _it took the shape of a swan. Exotic, graceful, slim; it reminded him of her. She would like it._

 _He observed his creation with pride mixed with suspicion: making something for someone else's joy caused a strange feeling in his chest, which might be more addictive than stealing._

 _At night, he eased open her door, and placed the carved swan inside so she can find it at the morning. He was going to back out, but he had to look at her; her pleasing figure hidden under the detested blanket, her face hidden under her fascinating locks. He watched her for a while before forcing himself to leave, but she was awake._

" _Why don't you come in?"/_

.

"I visited her in her room every night. She never even thought to protest, since I'm very persuasive and exceptionally adept at pleasuring a lady."

Dís raised an eyebrow at that, and Nori smirked.

.

 _/"Let's make a deal: a kiss for every answer."_

 _She kept asking questions, for which he didn't know the answer or he simply didn't care to search for the uncomfortable truth._

" _How do you know that I want to kiss you?"_

" _I don't, but I will. You know the rules now."_

 _He'd never thought that he would ever speak about the rocky relationship between him and his older brother, or that he didn't want to go on a quest to slay a dragon, but Thorin gave him no choice. She didn't judge. She was sweet and accepting, and he both loved her and felt guilty for loving such a treasure._

 _Sometimes, when she was too impressed by his greatness, he tried to shock her. He sort of hoped that one day he'd reach the limit of her tolerance, and she'd kick him out, because he couldn't find the strength to leave by his own will – even though he had no business snooping around such a delightful creature. These attempts often backfired._

 _They'd been talking for about a week, and he earned another kiss. With a sudden move, he lifted her. She squealed as she ended up on her back. He resumed their kissing, his fervor making it clear that there would be no talking for a while._

" _This is not going to be enough anymore," he said. She was flushed and totally out of breath._

" _Not for me either."_

" _Aren't you supposed to wait for marriage?" he asked, nonplussed, since she'd said she came from a conservative family._

" _Not right now!"_

 _Nori couldn't really wrap his mind around this new revelation. He'd expected a few choice words, but instead, he ended up on his back, Alin straddling his waist confidently._

" _Alright, so, I'm not at all experienced," she said sheepishly, but her actions spoke of curiosity. "Can you be gentle?" she asked timidly./_

.

"The rest is history," he finished. He tried to play off his tone as smug, but it sounded more wistful to Dís' ears.

"History? You mean it has ended?" Dís asked, perplexed.

"Yes," Nori nodded.

.

 _/She was addictive. He didn't return every night for the sex, but for the peace he found in her arms. His traitorous mind started to imagine what a life with her entail. Despite the obvious pleasure these images caused, this notion filled him with utter dread._

 _She wouldn't be pleased with his shady past or many faults. He didn't want her caught up in the mess that always seemed to chase him, wherever he went._

 _She was too good to be true. Mahal wouldn't waste such precious gifts on bad dwarves like him._

 _He always knew that it was temporary, but he also knew that he was falling for her. It was an amateur mistake, really, to get attached, but he did, and he would enjoy it while he lasted. He rarely planned for long-term, because people always got fed up with him if he didn't get bored first. This time, the second option seemed impossible. As for the first…/_

.

"I enjoyed acting like a good guy, since I found this role a refreshing change. She's never questioned my honesty, and she isn't aware of my past or my connections at all."

That surprised Dís. Based on the other conversation, Alin was very much aware that he had a good reason for keeping secrets. Of course, Nori was famous in certain circles, so she could hear rumors, but the lass guessed correctly his current occupation.

 _._

 _/She wanted to do the right thing. Nori hated to do the right thing, especially in this case, but it was high time to let her go. She wasn't a trinket that he'd accidentally pocketed – she was a person._

 _At least he wanted to leave with dignity, on his own terms._

 _When he stopped seeing her, he expected her to be sad and angry. He also expected her to confront him and demand an explanation. He knew how people reacted when he disappointed them – he'd done it too many times in the past, what's one more to add._

 _He didn't expect her to draw a knife on him._

 _He couldn't sleep, because his thoughts kept returning to her: her spunk, the ridiculous kitchen knife, the lame threat. Sweet little Alin, as fragile as she looked, had a firm grip on his balls._

 _Ori came home from Alin's parents' with his lass. The couple spent the night here, because Dori insisted on seeing them off. It sounded like they sat down for a tea before going to bed. They sounded happy, and he didn't want them to be happy_ here _, when he was hurting._

 _His generally restless disposition left place for little hesitance, so he got up and tore open his door, not yet certain if he was going to destroy their fun or join in._

" _Hi Nori, how nice of you to wear something tonight!" Lee greeted him. Nori appreciated her comment, since he put on pants only for her sake. He preferred to sleep naked, but the dwarrowdam's lectures about acceptable behavior bored him greatly. (It's not like she's never seen another naked dwarf.)_

" _Oh, hello, Nori, I hope we didn't wake you!" Malin squeaked, instinctively concealing her blush with her hands. Her presence was unexpected and uncomfortable after the stupid, useless flirt (which he only did because Alin didn't understand the word 'no'), but not surprising. She must have wanted to spend some more time with her friend._

 _Their third companion clearly had a very different purpose. Alin remained cool, running her appreciative gaze over his body._

" _Hello, Nori, nice to see you again so soon!" she greeted him cheerfully._

 _Her threat to visit him wasn't lame after all, and that sent a wave of excitement through his body./_

.

"Due to the recent developments, now I see the error of my ways, and I truly want to spare you the discomfort of another scandal. You can kick me out and I won't say a word about this. That's my offer," he finished the speech he, no doubt, practiced.

"That's very thoughtful of you," she complimented him, but uncharacteristically, polishing his ego didn't affect him now. She raised an eyebrow, the gesture making her eerily similar to her elder son when he was not at all impressed. This made Nori uncomfortable: the corner of his lips flinched, and he swallowed visibly. "However, since you now see the error of your ways, I don't see a reason to kick you out."

Nori leaned forward, trying to scare her into compliance with his threatening pose and heated gaze, but Dís had faced quite a lot of narcissistic males, who weren't pleased when she followed her own ideas. Oh, Nori might have a lot of tricks up to his sleeve, but Dís knew she had no reason to be afraid of him! She had the power in this room, not him – but she knew better than to verbally remind him of this fact.

"I'm evil," Nori hissed. "I'm volatile and unremorseful. I represent a danger, and your conscience would forever torture you if I caused any more harm."

Dís smirked. "I'll gladly take the risk!"

Nori jumped to his feet, and started pacing, his fists clenched in his helpless fury. He started muttering quite unkind Khuzdul words, and Dís finally saw fit to intercept.

"Sit," she ordered him firmly, without getting up from her seat. When he didn't obey, she repeated her command with more force. "Sit, now!"

Nori snarled at her, but plopped back into the armchair. He pulled out a knife from his pocket, and started cleaning his nails, focusing on the task. Dís wouldn't give him a way out though, now that she achieved his submission.

"I think we both know that if you'd truly committed something, you wouldn't have come here to confess." He knew better than that: she wasn't the most lenient judge.

"You can't be sure," he mumbled.

"Why do you think that I don't know of every step you make?"

Of course, she didn't; she only caught him accidentally on the corridor in the early morning, right after Raya's disappearance almost three months ago. Nori was sneaky and discreet, she had to give him that. She hadn't even known the identity of the girl in question, until Varni revealed it out of spite. She'd just learnt some details this morning, when Alin sought out Vera for advice. The lass was in love. She was deeply hurt by his dismissal, yet she fought back, instead of giving up on him. Dís found it greatly astonishing that Nori managed to evoke so strong loyalty, and she couldn't help wondering if he'd shown her what he hid from everyone else. While at first sight Alin seemed too young and naïve for a dwarf of Nori's caliber, she saw right through the ruse that would have discouraged everyone else. Dís was determined to get him talk to her.

Nori was eyeing her suspiciously.

"You're bluffing!"

"Am I?" she asked, not giving in. Nori seemed frozen. "You didn't ask for a punishment, you asked me to send you away. I think you're trying to run," she continued, looking him in the eyes. "That's what you've been doing for your entire life. I understand if you feel trapped here, but you must be daft if you think that I'll let you go so easily. If you truly did something bad, you'll need to apologize."

"I'm not a good guy, Dís. She's better off without me," he added weakly. "She's safer."

Dís suddenly got very excited: she'd expected him to put up more of a fight before revealing that his intentions weren't completely selfish!

"You have a good life here," she said softly. "You can take your time to get used to it – Mahal knows, all this comfort and wealth is strange for me too – but don't push everyone away only because that's familiar! You're not on the road anymore. You're not alone. Talk to her. Talk to us! You're surrounded by friends."

"Friends?" he jumped to his feet angrily. "That's rich, coming from you! You say these friends are supposed to help me? What if they're the ones to turn on me? What if they're using their knowledge to keep me on a leash? No, Dís, thank you, I do not wish to align myself with these friends."

"You have complete freedom, isn't it what you've always dreamed of? Stop being so mistrustful, no one's keeping you on a leash!"

Nori snorted. "Well, maybe you should have a talk with your precious son about that!"

"What are you talking about?"

Nori hesitated. He didn't want to complain, but she'd already delayed him longer than he liked.

"Fíli knew about us for a while, and he used this information against me."

"He didn't."

"He did! I know how blackmailing works. He's a king, he has to play dirtier than us. I don't blame him, but I know when I have to go."

"There is no way Fíli was blackmailing you with your secret relationship," she stated, the solution suddenly occurring to her. Of course, bullying her son into speaking would be another matter.

"You can't know that."

"I can. Let's go talk to him."

* * *

After seeing off the elves, Fíli took the morning off, claiming fatigue after the feast last night. His councilors didn't protest: the elves' departure made them cheerful and relaxed. The overall positive results even earned him a few praising words.

He truly wanted to catch up on some rest, but sleep was eluding him, and his idleness took his thoughts down on a road he truly didn't want to revisit. The stress of the last months left little time for nostalgia, and he didn't miss the heartache.

He welcomed the visitor who gave him an excuse to get up and hopefully get out.

"Amad? Nori?" He was surprised to see the pair here.

Nori was in an antagonistic mood, but Amad wore the smirk which indicated that she'd outsmarted someone.

"He thinks you were blackmailing him," she stated, pushing Nori farther inside the room. Her high spirits and the nonsensical statement baffled Fíli.

"Blackmailing – how?"

"With his super secret courtship," Amad clarified. "You should explain him that you did no such thing."

Fíli shook his head.

"I did no such thing!"

"Well, he says you knew about him and _her,_ " she whispered conspiratorially, "and always brought up the topic in the most convenient moments."

Fíli shook his head again; this wasn't the sort of visit he asked for.

"I did no such thing! Not with a purpose, at least," he added. He remembered making hints to push them together, but he couldn't recall the context. He turned to him: "Do you hear that?"

Nori answered with a grunt while rummaging around on the desk. Him looking into state affairs didn't worry Fíli, because he would eventually learn about them, but the young king really didn't want the thief to find anything else. He strode up to him, grabbing his shoulder, and forcefully removing him.

"Are we good?"

Nori made a face.

"I think you're going to need more words than 'because I say so' to convince him," came the helpful advice from Dís.

Fíli tried to reason with him. "I'm paying you. We are friends. Why would I need to blackmail you?"

"Thorin did it too," Nori shrugged. "But coming at me with something so personal is low."

"As I said, you'll need more to convince him. He tried to break up with her in a misguided attempt to protect her from harm, since he thinks he can't count on his friends. He wants to leave the mountain," she finished.

That was troubling news for the young king, something that he couldn't allow. He needed Nori's services. Thorin might have distrusted him because of his thieving ways, but Thorin liked extensive moralizing, which Fíli found extremely ineffective to deal with things.

Amad was trying to convey a message with her eyes, which Fíli truly didn't want to understand. He shook his head in an answer of her silent wish.

"I'll leave you to talk," she said sympathetically.

She left.

Fíli panicked.

Nori was staring daggers at him.

"I… really don't know what to say," he uttered uncertainly.

"There's nothing to say. Kings play dirtier than all of us. I understand; I've already told so to your mother, but she's blindly loyal to you."

His words didn't comfort him at all. Nori was standing still, watching him, probably seeing more than Fíli wanted him to see. He suddenly understood Nori's constant urge to occupy his hands, so he started stacking up the papers covering his desk. The silence grew heavier, and finally, Fíli spoke.

"Do you really want to leave?"

"Yeah… I was just trying to get an official dismissal, maybe claim to go on a mission… but I guess I'll just sneak out now," he shrugged. "I don't think it will surprise anyone. I don't mind being a disappointment."

"Aren't you going to miss her?"

"Do I look like I'll cry into my pillow every night?"

Fíli shook his head in incredulity.

"Do you love her at all?" he asked, his rage suddenly flaring up on her behalf.

"Why does everyone keep asking that?!" Nori started pacing, his calculated movements became erratic. This at least showed Fíli that he wasn't indifferent.

"What about her?" he asked, significantly calmer.

Nori stopped.

"She will love another," he declared confidently.

"How do you know that?"

The quiet question took him aback: Nori was now gaping, shaking his head.

"You choose to live without her. Fine. You must have your reasons…"

"Of course I do!" Nori interrupted impatiently. "Stop making me second-guess myself. I'm trying to do something decent for a change!"

"What's decent about playing with her heart?"

"I'm keeping her away from my troubles," he said defensively.

Fíli narrowed his eyes. Nori could lie through his teeth, but now, he was falling apart. Fíli could see when he tried to rein in his feelings, unsuccessfully. In his mind, his reasons must be legit, but seeing them from another point of view must be painful. Fíli could relate only too well: the hardest part of keeping a secret was the loneliness. The least he could do was to listen to his doubts and maybe the issue will resolve itself.

"People in my line of work don't understand my choice to quit. They aren't queasy about using her to get their way. I thought Varni was doing that… but it doesn't matter now, because the nomads will certainly be after me. I was fully aware of that when I slit the bastard's throat, and I don't regret it, but she deserves better. I knew it from the start."

"Have you actually told her any of this?"

As he suspected, Nori said nothing.

"You all but declared that you are willing to sacrifice your life for her."

Fíli's assessment didn't sit well with the other dwarf. He stopped pacing, but his fists were clenching and unclenching, desperate for something to do.

"Even if she moves on, I don't think you will."

Nori growled.

"If she loves you, she won't either," Fíli finished seriously. He had Nori's attention now, and if he could make him understand the real long-term consequences by winning this staring contest, than he can already call it a fruitful day.

However, he didn't win.

In one moment, Nori was snarling, his gaze filled with resentment, and in the next, his pupils dilated, and his mouth curled into a mirthful smile.

"Why don't you tell me what that demonic woman wants you to tell me?" he asked smugly.

Utter dread filled the young dwarf, he even forgot to defend his mother against such slander.

"Who did you leave behind?"


	27. Where We Were Vulnerable

**Where We Were Vulnerable**

" _Who did you leave behind?"_

Fíli really didn't want to answer Nori's question. He didn't speak about Flor while they were together, and there was really no reason to talk about her later. Still… the dwarf standing in front of him certainly knew how to shut up, and he would surely appreciate his sneakiness. Maybe his story would change Nori's mind, and he would stay… and Fíli was tired of this loneliness. It would be nice to talk.

Minutes passed in silence, but Nori waited patiently, drawing his own, partly wrong conclusions only by watching him. Fíli answered before his imagination could run too far.

"Just a lass in the Blue Mountains," he said casually. "We had been together for almost twenty years, before she left without goodbye and came back with a husband."

"You're joking!"

Fíli wasn't laughing. Confusion replaced the amusement on Nori's face.

"Why have I not heard about this?"

"Because it is not public knowledge. We were meeting in secret, and afterwards, there was no point in spreading the news. I would like to keep it that way."

Nori still stared at him as if he'd never seen him before.

"You kept a secret for twenty years? And longer?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"I'm not teaching you new tricks!"

"Too bad. I'm starting to think that had you not been Thorin's heir, you would be the perfect partner in crime with a little training!"

His excitement brought forth a real smile from Fíli. He had never wondered what he'd do if he wasn't king, and thief wouldn't be his first choice, but it was just a funny image now. Had Nori approached with this offer when Flor left…

"You know, fifteen years ago I might have said yes. Instead, I went off with Dwalin, and killed a few orcs. It helped me get back on track, but…"

Nori frowned. He sensed that the lighter mood only lasted for a moment.

"But what?"

"I can't stop loving her."

Nori did his best to comprehend the meaning of these words, but Fíli was still too vague.

"I have questions," he declared in the end. He helped himself to a drink from the table, where Fíli kept the drinks for visitors (the stuff he didn't really like), and filled a large cup for Fíli too, before sitting down.

"I won't share more just because I'm drunk," he warned the thief.

Nori made a face. "I'm starting to understand that. First, who knew?"

Fíli let out a relieved chuckle, and replied easily.

"While it lasted? Only Flor and me. Sometimes I asked Kíli to cover for me, but he never knew the whole story."

Nori snickered. When Fíli didn't continue, he spoke: "Who else?"

"No one."

"I don't believe that!" he exclaimed.

"That's the truth," Fíli confirmed. "I had a lot of freedom back then. Thorin and the others were always on the road. I helped a lot to Amad, and I've spent a lot of time away from the house, sometimes with Kíli, but often, alone. By that time, our friends had their own duties, so we weren't such a close-knit group as before. I was Thorin's heir, practically a leader of the community, so no one dared to question me. There were signs, I'm sure, but everyone was tied up with their own problems, and no one put two and two together."

"And now?" Nori asked after a short pause.

"Kíli, Amad, Dwalin, Bard… I don't think anyone else knows."

"Not even Thorin?"

"Thorin isn't the most observant person in Middle-Earth." They shared a smile over this. "I certainly didn't tell anyone else, and while we lived in the Blue Mountains, Flor didn't either. I wonder what she thinks now, since I am the King under the Mountain," Fíli said drily. "If she went after the money, she left the wrong guy!"

Nori sloshed his drink around in circles in the cup, processing the information.

"Why did she leave you?"

Fíli's face darkened.

"I have no idea. She left without a word and I was too angry to ask. I've been thinking about it for years, but I can't point out where I made a mistake. We knew each other from childhood, and she never complained about my actions or my personality. Objectively, I tend to agree with Amad, who says that she was merely toying with me. While we were the leader of the small, loyal Longbeard community, I didn't have a lot to my name. We were poor, clinging to the order of a bygone age. I couldn't offer her money or stability. Amad says she has a mercenary nature, that's why she pursued me, but since I still had nothing more than potential, she accepted a better offer. Then, she moved back, so she would still appear loyal to the Durin line."

"It sounds like Dís isn't very impressed by her almost daughter-in-law," Nori commented.

"That's an understatement! She doesn't have the tender feelings to hold back her disdain. And you know perfectly that her scorn is cutting at best."

Oh, Nori remembered! His sticky hands got him on the dwarrowdam's wrong side on several occasions. He wondered what she did to the lass who broke her precious son's heart; but he had questions, and decided to hear that story at a later time.

"But you said you can't stop loving her. How can you still love her?"

Fíli smiled sadly.

"It's rather stupid, isn't it?" Although Nori didn't dare to vocally agree, Fíli knew the answer anyway. "I know with my mind that it's wrong, that it ended badly, but I can't erase her from my heart. I made an unconscious choice a long time ago, and dwarves love truly only once."

"Are you saying that the legends about the One are true?"

Fíli was surprised that he didn't know that. Maybe he'd never cared to find out, maybe he just ignored it…

"I believe so," Fíli answered. The horrified look on Nori's face prompted him to elaborate. "Finding your One isn't necessarily a magical moment, like they say. It's a choice that you make unconsciously. You decide for some reason that you want to spend your life with this person, and you do your best to make this feeling mutual. I failed somehow."

"Or she failed," Nori murmured, deep in thought. "What if she was afraid to make a commitment?"

"She married right after leaving me," Fíli said cynically. "Trust me, it wasn't a commitment issue."

"Yeah, but _hypothetically_ , it might have been," Nori persisted. Fíli almost repeated his answer more forcefully, when it clicked into place. Nori was acting way too casual, looking away, but underneath this façade, he was nervous. He was just a bit too calm, just a bit too motionless, just a bit too curious – he wasn't really speaking about Flor anymore.

"Let's assume that."

Nori's gaze snapped at him. The amount of emotion in his eyes stunned the younger dwarf. Fíli was used to giving advice to his little brother, to his friends, to his subjects; but he'd always put Nori in a category above himself experience-wise.

Fíli watched his drink miserably. He offered this disgusting liquid to visitors, because he didn't want to drink it, but he preferred to speak about Flor when he was less than sober.

"Let me teach you a great drinking game." Fíli walked to his desk and pulled out the drawer, which hid his stack of Best Friend. Right now, having his favorite drink available gained a higher priority than his healthy apprehension of Nori's disrespect for personal property. "If one of us says my former lover's name, we drink."

Nori studied the bottle with interest.

"Is this how you deal with it?"

Fíli let out a self-deprecating chuckle.

"Let's make one thing clear," he said while filling his cup. "I don't deal with it. I think about her all the time, and I try to ignore it during the day, but my feelings wouldn't go away. She still has a very strong effect on everything I do or say or think. Should Flor appear here, trying to get back into my good graces, I would probably take her back with little hesitation."

Saying her name, he immediately demonstrated how the game should be played. Instead of impressing Nori with his bravery to gulp down a whole cup of the strong liquor, the other dwarf looked rather terrified.

"You don't need to drink a whole cup every time. You drink as little as you want," Fíli said self-consciously.

"Is this really necessary? I mean, to you."

"Yes."

"But…"

"No but," Fíli interrupted, while the other was looking for words. "Talking about her is difficult. I don't deal with her loss. I go on with my life, I function. I try to occupy my mind with other things. Activity is good; for example, the elves took my mind off of her for a while, but generally… I think if there is a way to forget her and move on, I would have found it by now. Instead, I'm stuck with my rather controversial feelings."

That was a grim picture of the future, which made Nori frown.

"What if you meet someone new and fall in love again?"

Fíli snorted, seeing his hopeful expression.

"It's possible, isn't it? What if she's not my One?"

"Well, that's not impossible. You two barely know each other, maybe you aren't past that point yet, and separation would be easy. But you should note that time has no relevance in this case, as you see. I made that choice, but Flor clearly did not. Maybe you can move on. I have too many memories and too much self-pity to hang onto."

Nori finally took out his knife – a certain signal that his emotions needed an outlet.

"What you mistook for blackmail was me trying to express my support. I need you here. I trust you. If you're worried about her safety, I can help." Fíli halted for a moment, wondering if he should mention the whole Company, but he decided against it. He'd just given Nori a reason to trust him, but he couldn't speak for the others. "You don't need to leave, but of course you can. I can even send you on a fake mission, if you want, so you don't have to sever ties without a way back. Think about it! Ask yourself if you're willing to take this gamble on your heart, or on hers."

Nori looked at him suspiciously. He wasn't completely fooled by Fíli's slippery tongue.

"You look fine," he said hesitantly.

"It's been fifteen years. Ask Dwalin how I was coping at the beginning. He was the one who had to get me out of bed every morning," Fíli answered, cocking an eyebrow, as if challenging him to continue the debate.

"Well, let's hope then that Flor won't come here," Nori grinned, tossing back his liquor. Fíli followed his example. "I rather like you this way as king."

The startling praise made Fíli choke.

"Even with the blackmail," Nori mused nonchalantly. "It's a pity it wasn't intentional. It was beautiful in its subtlety, but please, try not to drown while I'm here."

Fíli shot him a mean glare. He could have come over and pat him on the back, so he can stop coughing.

"It wasn't blackmail! How on earth could you come up with that idea?"

"Well, you kept hinting at that you know about us; that in itself was a giveaway. Why wouldn't you use my secret against me? You literally pushed me into her arms right when I was asking for a payment upgrade. Or when I tried to skip my duties? You immediately wanted to send me to her. Or when later, you allegedly 'kept her safe' while she went to testify."

Fíli rolled his eyes. Nori constantly tried to enhance his personal gain; it was a little hard to find a moment when he spoke about a neutral topic.

"I kept her away from Varni because you asked that!"

The erstwhile criminal found it puzzling.

"Why?"

"Because you're my friend and because your services are very useful for running my kingdom."

Nori considered it word by word, and came to the surprising conclusion that Fíli was telling the truth.

"Well, you're a strange king, but I should have thought of it," he said, quite miffed.

"Sorry," Fíli said. "I'm not really into blackmail. As I said, I consider you a friend, and if you accept a piece of advice, you stay now."

Nori sighed deeply.

"Well, that Flor was a fool," he said, reaching for the bottle for a refill. Fíli raised his cup in appreciation before drinking, thankful for Nori's swift understanding of the rules. He looked at Nori over his cup, changing his tone to more serious.

"I understand your hesitation to make a commitment. You don't have to marry her in this instant, but you need be honest. We can take care of any threat, but you should talk to Alin about it too. And maybe ask her about her feelings if you don't want to leave such a mess behind."

"I always leave a mess behind," Nori answered automatically. After a few silent moment, he continued. "She keeps saying that she loves me."

"Well, that's often a clear giveaway," Fíli said cautiously, "but Flor too said it a lot."

"Yeah, that's exactly my problem!" Nori stood up and started pacing. "She keeps saying that, and I believe her. But people don't love me. I also said those words to her, yet I'm not sure what they mean!" He stopped right in front of Fíli. "Your story is heartbreaking, but would you be so kind as to describe what I should be feeling? So I can be sure."

Fíli didn't want to be the one to help him find out. Nori's affair reminded him too much of his own. He wanted to support him, to see them live their life together, but probably, he would view this happy picture through a window tainted by his envy. He also knew that appearances could be fake, and things could still go wrong. He didn't want to feel responsible if that happened.

"I told you a sob story, and I'm supposed to be an expert now?"

"Well, I have no idea what love means," Nori admitted. "Everyone is so sure about their feelings! But how do they actually know? I know that I love my brothers, because they are my family. That's a fact. But how should I know if I love Alin?"

He grabbed his cup and gulped down the rest of his drink. His ruffled countenance suggested that he knew what love felt like – he only needed to connect the feeling to the word.

"Well, people claim that you just know it, but your point is valid," he answered neutrally. "I suppose attraction is obvious."

Nori let out a derisive snort.

"I know that I love Flor because I still think of her all the time. She's my first thought in the morning and the last one at night. Her presence, her smile, her approval caused this strange thrill in my body. It's rather addictive, you'll know it. I wanted to share everything with her, and I always tried to impress her." Fíli paused: his usually suppressed memories of her came to the surface, overwhelming him. He didn't have the willpower to continue with descriptions of the bliss of just being near her, or the spring in his steps on the way to their meetings, or the invigorating peace he found in her arms.

"That's it?" Nori asked, when he paused.

Fíli shrugged. "Sort of. It's complicated."

"But how do you make the distinction between an addiction or obsession, and actual love?"

"Is there any?" Fíli didn't think so, but Nori seemed to have a so far unknown romantic side. "Look, Nori, as I said, I think it's an unconscious choice. One day, you may understand it, or maybe you're going to live your whole life in doubt… I don't know. But if you can't trust her or yourself, then it's not love."

"I don't know how to trust," he confessed, sitting back to the armchair. He looked conflicted, so Fíli allowed him a little time to gather his bearings.

"Maybe you should discuss these things with her instead of me."

Instead of replying, Nori sank into silence for a while. Fíli studied him, but his stony face didn't reveal his decision, not even when he stood to leave.

* * *

Saying goodbye to her parents weren't as sad as Alin expected. Their visit was nice, but she was full of nervous energy to act on her plans.

First, she visited Lady Vera for advice. She still respected Nori's wish not to advertise their relationship, but apparently, Vera knew about them from Varni. Finally, Alin had someone to talk to, and this realization already took a lot of weight off her shoulders.

Vera and Lady Dís were very understanding, especially Vera, after Dís left. Vera said that Dís would be partial to her boys, while she had her own troubles with a willful husband, and happily shared her experiences. Alin had never thought that she would have such an open conversation with the Lady of the Hills about Lord Dáin – she wasn't sure she wanted to hear every detail.

Now, she'll need to speak with Nori, but catching him these days required careful planning (or radical methods).

Imagine her surprise, when none other walked into her room in the afternoon than her elusive lover!

Alin immediately applied one of Vera's advices, and spoke before he could.

"I thought you forgot the way here!" she commented, pretending frustration, while she was rather relieved to see him.

"I didn't."

"I can see that now," she said.

Vera suggested that she shouldn't forgive him easily. Alin didn't have the emotional strength for that yet, maybe she never will. She found herself wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, asking on a small voice:

"Does that mean that you don't want to leave me anymore?"

Nori stood there awkwardly, his hands twitching to embrace her, but her shocking outburst stripped him of the confidence that brought him here.

"It means that we need to talk."

He managed to untangle himself, but he didn't cut off every bodily contact. Maybe he wanted to feel her presence too – she certainly needed his.

"I wasn't entirely honest with you," he started.

Alin let out a sarcastic snort. "Well, that's kind of obvious, since you refused to talk about certain things, going so far that you pretended to simply not hear the questions!"

Nori grimaced.

"That's a perfectly good way to avoid questioning!"

Alin grinned and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Come, sit down and tell me what you want."

"I'm a thief," Nori started hesitantly, searching her face for clues. She forced her face to stay blank. She'd heard rumors and veiled accusations, but he'd never given her a cause to doubt him. "I'm… not exactly stealing that much lately, since I have loads of money, but I've been doing it for a very long time. I also made a lot of enemies during the decades and that's why I wanted to keep us a secret at first."

Alin sighed, and squeezed his hand.

"Those enemies are still around. They may or may not try to use you to get to me," he hurried to continue.

"Then why worry about it before they come?"

"Because I don't want you to come to harm! Not even close to it! That's why you're better off without me. Even if I try to walk on the right side of the law, I end up attracting trouble. Those past enemies may only ever be imaginary threats, but I…"

He stopped and looked away. Alin knew this habit of his: when he found a topic unpleasant, he preferred to talk into the darkness of the room, as if it could swallow the heavy words he didn't want to say facing her. She snuggled up to him, resting her chin on his shoulder, so he could still feel her closeness.

"I killed that nomad." She felt as he exhaled slowly. "I kill people sometimes. I don't regret it. This guy had it coming, but nomads avenge their fallen comrades, so that's an actual real threat now. Just so you know."

Alin shortly pondered this fact. Even this threat seemed too faraway to scare her.

"Will you know when they come?"

"I certainly hope so."

"Will you know what to do?"

Nori swallowed again, and Alin pulled away, annoyed.

"You'll kill them, that's the plan, right?" Nori nodded. "See, I can say the word. I don't have any problem with killing people who wants to murder me or you, just so you know!"

A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of his lips, and his arm snaked around her waist.

"Do you trust me?"

He was an idiot to question this, but right now, the conversation was taking a favorable turn, and she can express her opinion about his mental capacity many times over, if she says the right words now. At least he stole a glance at her while asking this, so she supposed that he'd already known the answer. It was glaringly obvious.

"Yes, I do."

"Even if I lie and steal and kill and…"

"Oh, for Mahal's sake, Nori, I'm not going to condemn you for everything you've ever done!"

"Even if I'm going to start stealing again?"

"You're derailing the conversation," she said, rolling her eyes. "For what it's worth, I'm willing to listen to you while you count off everything that you've ever stolen, but let's discuss it later. For now, I don't even care if you lured that thrice accursed dragon here by yourself!"

"I'm still stealing," he interrupted. "That's why I ask. I can't help it."

Alin drew her brows together, and then replied honestly.

"I really don't know what I should say to that."

"Nothing, preferably," Nori said. "It's a bad habit. I have lots of those."

"I noticed that."

"I promise I'm not going to get into trouble. Dís and Dwalin trained me what to do if I get caught. I apologize and offer compensation and refer to some obscure business of the king," he recited.

"The king?"

"Yes. We help out each other sometimes," he said casually. "He looks the other way when I trip, and I give him useful information. I was watching the elves for him, you know!" he said proudly.

Alin squealed. "I knew it!"

"You knew what?" Nori asked suspiciously.

She'd put it together only after she spoke to King Fíli about her wish to press charges against Varni. Fíli was very adamant that they shouldn't disregard Nori's request. Alin eventually realized that maybe her lover didn't talk about his daily occupation, because he was forbidden to do so: if the king kept him in such a high regard, then he must be doing something very important.

He listened to her with a satisfied smile tugging on the corner of his lips. Alin felt very clever.

"See, I won't get angry and I can deal with things if you actually tell me things, but will you stay now?"

It sounded pathetic even to her ears, but she really wanted to get to her turn.

"I guess I can," Nori said. "If you'll have me."

His humble plea almost discouraged her from what she intended to say. She tried to speak several times, not able to utter one word. Nori drew the wrong conclusion.

"You can say no, you know."

"I don't want to!" she reassured him quickly. "But I don't want to be a secret anymore. I don't like that I can't really talk to people. This lurking can be fun at times, but to do it constantly hurts me. You hurt me," she emphasized. "You know how to deliver the most painful blows. It's nice when you do it to protect me, but I don't like to be on the receiving end."

His face was unreadable, which she didn't like.

"You should never, ever try to come between me and my sister."

He had the decency to cast his eyes down.

"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't know how to make you understand that you should give up."

Alin was pleased to hear that. Vera warned her that apologies may not come easily from a dwarf like him.

"Good. Next time, you open your mouth and say things just the way they are."

Although Alin had already forgiven him, Nori still felt the need to compensate.

"I'm truly sorry for that. I didn't really want to break up with you," he said, finally daring to look up at her. He laced their fingers together, and continued explaining. "I didn't know what to do. I'm not used to considering others in my decisions. I'm reckless and I usually solve my problems by moving on."

"Well, from now on, you can't do that without talking to me."

He nodded fervently. "In fact, I may need help with that. I'm… not used to staying in one place for long. I'm not used to stay with one person for too long… I've always thought of us as a temporary arrangement. I thought you'd get rid of me by now."

"Sweet Mahal, you don't make loving you any easier!" she sighed desperately.

"Do you love me?"

"Yes. I tried not to, but I found it impossible," she admitted.

"How do you know that you love me?"

This was a very strange question, but the open insecurity in his voice convinced her to take it seriously.

"I know, because there are actually things that I like about you. I like that you are observant and thoughtful. I like that you listen to me and talk to me, even if you find the subject stupid or uncomfortable. I like your confidence, and you make me feel safe. But I'm sure that I love you, because there are things that I don't like about you, yet I want to be with you. You tried to hurt me, and you were successful. You keep secrets and you're stubborn and you think your word is the unquestionable law that runs this world. Very often I find you annoying. I don't know how to feel about the stealing. Despite all of these, I'm willing to compromise. That's how I know that I love you."

"I think I love you too," he confessed, confusing Alin more than ever.

"You think?!"

"Yes." He got on his knees, tightening his hold on her hands. "Alin, I'm not a good person. I don't know the first thing about love. I fancy you, I find you entertaining, and I feel safe with you, which is actually the scariest thing I can imagine. I'm sorry for intentionally hurting you, there is no excuse for that. I don't know how to promise you a happy future with me, but I'm willing to work on it. I can't promise you that I'm not going to stumble, because I lash out when I'm uncertain, but I can promise you that I'm going to talk to you before I act. Just… remind me of this promise, my memory can be selective. Will you remind me?"

Alin was deeply touched by his confessions. It wasn't what every girl dreamed about to hear, but it sounded sincere, so she promised.

"I will. Maybe we should take a step back and do things more slowly this time."

"Yes, you're right. I'll trust you on this. I mean it. My heart is hard and dry, trained to survive any ordeal, any loss, but I won't gamble with yours. I won't break your heart."

"Well, that's very considerate of you," she answered, since he seemed to be done with his speech. Still, his grip was becoming stronger and his eyes bore into hers, his heated gaze making her all hot and bothered. "Is there anything else?"

"Do you want to marry me?" he asked, out of the blue.

Alin gasped. The prospect of spending her whole life with this dwarf excited and frightened her at the same time. Surely, after all he said he didn't expect her to just say yes!

"I'm not ready to marry you yet," she said, her eyes welling up with tears of disappointment – for disappointing him.

His lips were hot on her skin as he kissed her knuckles.

"Nor am I," he whispered, "but that's the direction you want to take eventually, isn't it? I may need some time to get used to the idea."

She nodded, too overwhelmed to speak. This sounded so much better, and the great wave of relief that washed over her urged her to close the distance between them.

"Let's lock this door," she said, banishing every thought of taking it slow.

* * *

 **A/N:** Hah, Nori apologized and even got on his knees! I think he got out of trouble rather well this time, didn't he?

Next chapter, which will also be the last, is coming on Monday! Until then, drop me a review!

To **Emrfangirl:** Yes, Fíli finally decided to speak. I hope you like their talk – I think both of them needed it. Nori is a lucky guy for finding such a forgiving lass, but he won't get away with things like this anymore! Thanks for the review! SV


	28. Wrong Person, Wrong Place

**Wrong Person, Wrong Place**

Getting a seat at the Company's table was no easy feat. Either you got invited by one of them, or you risked being ignored or even ridiculed if you jostled your way into an empty chair. Thus, if Kasia wanted to make good on her promise to her friend, she had to come up with an idea quickly.

Alin had asked her to do her hair for tonight's dinner, which seemed to hold a special meaning for her. While she worked, the rock has finally cracked, and the reserved lass took her into her confidence. How scandalous! Alin came from a conservative, rich family, and her sister was one of the dullest creatures to sign up for the Spring Tour. She admired the feat of finding a suitor already on the first night, but that shameless dwarf! She was appalled (in an amused way) and jealous, and she admired the younger lass for her boldness.

Apparently, this boldness was swept away by the conversation she'd had with her lover earlier that day. They agreed to sit together at dinner, which Alin now found unnerving, and needed a friend. She fussed a lot about arriving too early, but Nori was already waiting for her. He almost invisibly moved the chair next to him, signaling Alin to take a seat, and Kasia was left to fend for herself.

She tried to act nonchalantly as she hunted for a seat, but most members of the Company had already chosen their company for tonight. She listed off the missing members in her head, and she almost gave up, when Lady Dís arrived, escorted by her son, the King. This was unexpected luck, because Fíli rarely showed up here lately. Knowing him, he certainly didn't have a dinner partner – yet.

Lady Dís' arrival always signaled the start of the meal, so everyone took their seat, and the places around the Company's table filled up quickly. Kasia tried to beckon Fíli over, but he was engaged in a conversation, and by the time he sat down, the seat beside him was already occupied by Seenia. Still, she went over there.

"You're sitting in my spot, Seenia," Kasia said on her most authoritative tone. Since she pretended not to hear, Kasia shook the back of the chair to catch her attention.

"Oh, Kasia, there's no need to be so uncouth!" Seenia whined haughtily.

"Get out," Kasia said, suddenly tilting the chair. Seenia lost her balance, and Kasia swiftly shoved herself into the newly freed seat.

"Good evening, Your Majesty," she chirped, gaining Fíli's attention by poking him with her elbow. To say that he was surprised would be an understatement, but not unpleasantly.

"Thank Mahal!"

"Thank me," Kasia corrected him smugly.

"Thank you then," he agreed.

She helped herself to a liberal amount of potato with a thick, saucy slice of the roast. She planned to keep an eye on the secretive couple during the meal; those two were visibly mortified by the simple fact that they were sitting next to each other in public. No one called them out on their strange behavior yet, but Fíli noticed that she was watching them.

"I guess you know?" he whispered, leaning closer. He did his best to hide his smile. "It took at least three people to make them see reason."

"Four, then! Alin wouldn't be here without me," Kasia explained.

Fíli snickered. He continued making witty remarks about the couple, as well as the others, who didn't catch on. He also talked to the people around them, often involving her in the conversation. He looked so carefree; she hadn't heard him laugh so much in one go. He opened up among his friends, joking around and gave a sarcastic opinion just about anything. He even flirted briefly with the two dwarrowdams opposite him, but she was the most surprised when he spoke to her too in the same easy manner. He wasn't awkward or touchy, like other young dwarves. It was a most thrilling experience.

When she arrived here, she found him distant and haughty. She had to revoke this opinion when he saved Raya and told her about his brother's departure. She remembered the overwhelming deference, which has disappeared since then: she still respected him, but he treated her as an equal, and she felt empowered around him. She also learned that he was reliable and caring, even Zaz approved of him now. She truly believed him to be a bit boring, but she could forgive that, considering his numerous good traits.

He managed to belie that opinion tonight and she rather liked this new version of him. Of course, he deserved to be happy: he forged an alliance with the elves, and he managed to catch a few criminals on the way too. He worked hard to ensure the wealth and safety of his people. She vowed to do her best to grant him a great time tonight.

She prodded his awareness with innocent touches on his arm. He was responsive, leaning closer unconsciously and stealing puzzled glances at her.

"You always claim to be entertaining," she challenged him. "Let's prove it to me!"

"Am I not doing exactly that?" he replied.

"I'm thinking about another kind of entertainment," she whispered, hooking her arm through his. "Just two friends, no attachments. If there's a dwarf more deserving of a gentle feminine touch, I haven't met him," she continued, lowering her voice even more, and placing her hand on his knee.

His eyes sparkled up, and she took it as a yes. He followed without questions as she grabbed his hand, pulled him up from his seat and led him outside. She briefly wondered if he recognized the route – if not, he would be in for quite a surprise! But Fíli wasn't clueless, and when she picked up the familiar lantern, he took it out of her hand. She tried to hide her heated cheeks by leading the way, but he placed his palm on the small of her back and it proved to be quite distracting. He attentively helped her over the obstacles and behind the curtain of the waterfall, with an assurance that made her wonder who he had taken here.

There was a moment of awkward silence when he put down the lantern, now inside the love nest. They avoided each other's gaze; Kasia pretended to check their surroundings. She'd been here previously, and was relieved to find the space as spotless as always. She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, admiring his profile. That did the trick for her: he was too handsome to be kept waiting.

For a moment, she thought that he would be like most males – they usually eagerly accepted, or in worse case, expected her attentions, but gave little in return. He allowed her to kiss him and let her tongue slip inside to tease his. He must have needed a few moments to catch up, because after that, everything changed. He pulled her closer, bending her body so he could lean over her. She had to wrap her arms around his neck not to lose her balance, but he knew exactly where to put his arm to steady her, and somehow, they got into a lying position without separating.

During dinner, when she came to the decision to reward him, she had no idea how far she would go. She only took him here to prevent any gossip, but she was glad for this choice now. Her arms were moving on their own volition, ridding him of his clothing, while he expertly undressed her too. His hands were touching her everywhere, cleverly finding sensitive areas, instead of merely fondling her breasts. Her side was usually simply ticklish, but his fingers were tracing invisible patterns into her skin there, eliciting the most exhilarating shivers from her. He was a fantastic lover, and she was a fool for ever doubting that.

She tried returning the favor, since that was her original plan anyway. He welcomed her touches, but the more she touched him, the more she felt that something was wrong. While his body reacted, she couldn't draw a single moan out of him.

"No need to be so quiet," she said. The loud rumble of the waterfall would swallow any noise they made. He opened his eyes, confused. "Let me know what you like!"

He shook his head.

"Sorry. I'm used to thin walls, not soundproof caves."

She accepted the explanation, and he made an effort of uttering a sound or two, but he sank back into silence, his eyes closed again. It didn't restrict him in any way – his lips and fingers still found the sweet spots on her body, but it took away the intimacy and after a while, it creeped her out.

"Say my name," she begged.

Fíli let out a grunt, and pulled away.

"Kasia…"

"No! Not like this." She closed the distance between them, skin to skin, her breath tickling his ear. "More like this. Say my name, and tell me what you want!"

She thought that it was sensual – tricks like this usually worked wonders on males, but Fíli was the exception. He was staring at her, his eyes wide, almost scared, before he turned away, staring into the darkness.

She didn't understand.

"I thought you wanted me," she said accusingly. It certainly felt like that!

"I do…" he said, still keeping his gaze off of her, and Kasia heard perfectly the unsaid 'but' on the end of his sentence.

"Good. Then what's wrong? We're friends. We're both attractive. I'm here to have some fun, because Mahal knows, we both deserve it; not to lure you into wedlock! What can be wrong?" She really didn't understand these Durin boys. As if they couldn't be happy with what was in their reach! She gasped as a horrible idea occurred to her: "Is this because I was messing around with Kíli?"

She cursed his obstinate little brother. If Fíli brought him up as a reason for this behavior, then she's going to just leave him here! Kíli was old news by now, a good friend, but a less than average suitor.

He made a pitiful face.

She glared at him, waiting for an answer.

"I'm not Kíli," he stated with a stony face, daring her to argue, but she wouldn't give him the courtesy.

"I'm perfectly aware of that!" They were the opposite of each other. Kíli was dark and carefree and despite his bragging, his inexperience showed in his tentative kisses. On the outside, Fíli was lighter, but in the inside, he was burdened too heavily to loosen up, despite knowing perfectly what to do. The only thing they had in common was the talent to disappoint her.

"You won't forget him by being with me," the insufferable dwarf said.

"Well, there's nothing to forget, and I'll just stop inconveniencing you!"

She put on her clothes, her fury speeding up her movements, and before he could react, she took the lantern and climbed outside, effectively trapping him behind the waterfall.

She placed the lantern back to its place. Whoever comes here next can get him out; she pictured the unsuspecting couple's reaction, and her frustration broke out of her in uncontrollable fits of laughter.

She used to wrap men around her finger with a single look. She was still able to do it! She might need to avoid anyone with an ounce of Durin-blood in their veins, but there were other prospective husbands under this mountain, and a lot of other things to do.

* * *

When Kasia left, Fíli dropped his head back to the ground.

He was grateful when she brought up Kíli as a possible excuse, but it was far from the truth.

The truth was… that he was ruined forever, and no matter how attractive and skilled Kasia, or any other woman was, he was always far, far away. He didn't see their faces, he didn't hear their voices, he didn't really feel their skin.

His mind was seeing someone else.

The resemblance between Kasia and Flor made it worse. Kasia had shorter and lighter hair, Flor had smaller breasts and fuller hips, but their deliberate flirty mannerisms were quite similar and he failed to take notice of the differences. Not that appearances mattered; he was always seeing _her_ , but it was too easy to pretend in the low light, and he didn't want to offend Kasia by uttering another name.

A less experienced dwarrowdam would have thanked him for the pleasure and comfort she found in his arms. He was a fool to accept her challenge, but he had little opportunity to chase away his loneliness for a night in this mountain, and he was really fed up by being seen as dull. He wasn't dull at all! Now, she could see it too, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to hear her opinion. It was a pity; she was a great friend with fresh ideas, and shallow enough to pull him out of his self-pity occasionally.

He was too tired to be ashamed, and he had no way to get out safely, so he let sleep claim him.

He awoke to light; now he had to make up a lame excuse, which wouldn't fool anyone. To his horror, none other than the cartographer was sitting next to the lantern.

"You know, you're supposed to bring a partner here," she greeted him. Her mocking glare was the last thing he wished for currently, so he closed his eyes, willing her to leave.

"I had one. She left."

"Were you unable to satisfy her?"

Fíli sat up, glowering at her ineffectively.

"I'm perfectly capable of satisfying women!"

"I see. Can you maybe satisfy me?" she asked, keeping her tone polite despite the cheeky request. "By getting out of here, I mean. I'm your best chance for that, you know."

His breath hitched in his throat. He didn't want to leave. He didn't want to rejoin life and be a misfit.

"I changed my mind. I'm not capable of satisfying women."

"Fine by me," she shrugged, fumbling with her lantern.

"What are you even doing here? Is it morning already?"

"No, it's midnight. I'm doing measurements, and I thought to check whether this place got cleaned."

"Measurements?" he asked, immediately latching on to the change of topic.

She let out a nervous chuckle.

"Now, now, my King, there's no need for such interrogation!"

Fíli sat up fully, his blanket pooling around his waist.

"Wait! Did you bring a partner?"

"No! Look, I don't know why I'm telling you this, but I'm truly here to do the usual measurements." She paused, letting the information sink in. Fíli frowned.

"I thought you were finished."

"I am," she said with a lopsided smile.

"Then why…"

"I told them that it's redundant, and nothing will change until the autumn rains, but they didn't believe me. I could make up a few numbers, but I like to do an honest job, if I'm getting paid."

"Ah, so you're still getting paid for a job that you've already finished."

"Yes."

Fíli laughed, just simply, honestly laughed. The cartographer was trying to convince him about her good intentions.

"It doesn't hurt to have more data than necessary!"

"But you want this waterfall destroyed!"

"No one, apart from you, knows that!"

Fíli draw in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"You do realize that you've just admitted that you're cheating me out of my money?" he asked, doing his best to appear stern.

She fixed him with an unimpressed glare. "I'm paid by your mother," she corrected him.

"Well, that's true," Fíli answered smugly, "but she's living off of my account, mostly."

He loved seeing how her shock colored her features with a blush.

"Sorry. I can stop."

"Don't worry," he said. She got up to leave again, but he spoke up: "May I join you? You know, to check if I'm spending my money well…"

She made an annoyed face.

"You look quite comfortable there."

"I am," Fíli said, surprised by the truth of the statement. His earlier frustration and embarrassment were gone.

"Well, I'll be a lot more comfortable if you put on your clothes and clean up the place. Then you can join me," she offered.

She sat down, turning her back to him. Her shoulders were shaking, which was a dead giveaway that she found his sad situation funny, but he couldn't condemn her for it. This whole mess was his fault and he got what he deserved – he only hoped it wouldn't get back to his mother's ears. At least he had something on her too, it was only fair.

* * *

Kíli was pondering how long his hosts would tolerate his presence. Tauriel was getting stronger day by day. The walks in the gardens did wonders for her health, and the fresh air greatly improved her spirits, just as she predicted. (At least Kíli truly hoped it was the fresh air and not the company; he was still confined to Tauriel's rooms, so Legolas got to escort her around.) For a few days now, she stopped taking her meals in her room, and joined some of her friends instead, leaving Kíli miserably alone.

Legolas firmly insisted on sharing the good news with his father as soon as possible. He had no idea what the pixie was hoping to achieve with that, but Kíli's personal chances got terribly worse if that happened.

Not if – when; and not when – right now. Tonight, Tauriel was having a private dinner with the Elvenking, and Kíli was left hidden in her room, because apparently, the all-knowing elf still didn't know about his presence. (At least Legolas claimed that; Kíli found immense pleasure imagining how his father would confront him with the truth.)

He was packing his bag. His weapons had been taken away when the bastard arrested him after his arrival to the forest. He didn't know what fate his pony had met, but he hoped that elves treated animals better than they treated dwarven prisoners. He got back his clothes when they relocated him to nurse Tauriel. He didn't have much else.

He looked around the room. They tried to keep it tidy, but they both left their traces on the once pristine and lifeless space. There was a haphazard pile of objects on the desk, two cups stood on the bedside table, and Tauriel always dropped her robe at random places. Kíli had pulled the armchair close to the bed, so he could sit comfortably and watch her as she slept, or just didn't feel up to getting out of bed. (At first, she literally needed help to get up, but later, she only pretended weakness, so he would go closer and she would catch him for some cuddling. Not that he terribly minded it.)

He would miss this place. He would miss this time. Living with her was a wonderful experience.

There was no better way to get to know someone than living together. He often got annoyed by Fíli and their mother to the point of wishing to move out. The balance with Tauriel was more sensitive, but he adjusted more easily. They talked a lot. He'd learnt a lot about her past, her dreams, her fears, her likes and dislikes, and even about her friends. He told her about his childhood, his family, his brother, the quest and the strange new life he had to live in the Lonely Mountain. They had a routine now, and habits that they picked up together.

 _It's all going to end now,_ he thought sadly as he was packing away his clothes. He wanted to be prepared, since the pixies could burst in through the door any minute now to throw him out. At least he hoped that he would be shown the door, and not thrown back to the dungeons. He made Tauriel right, the least he deserved was to stay intact!

Still, his heart was heavy.

He set out on this quest to find out if he loved Tauriel.

The answer was painfully clear: even if it had been a mere crush on the beginning, he was undoubtedly, irrevocably bound to her by now. You can't nurse someone back to life without getting emotionally invested, and he'd already had tender feelings for her.

He loved her. The passion was still lacking a bit because of her relative weakness, but her spark returned, its brightness blinding him to any other beauty Middle-Earth can offer.

Now, he needed to figure out what to do with this knowledge.

She came back to the room alone, although Kíli heard noises from the corridor. She immediately noticed how he passed the time.

"Why did you pack your belongings?"

"I want to be prepared for when I have to leave," he admitted reluctantly.

"You don't have to leave," Tauriel said, finding the notion unbearable. He immediately made a step closer as she paled, but it wasn't a sign of sickness, rather, a sign of anger. "Did Legolas say something to you?"

Kíli shrugged. "He doesn't have to say it. I'm still his prisoner, and I'm trying to make up a convincing argument to let me go."

"Do you want to leave?" Her anger was now directed at him.

"Errr… no, I don't _want_ to, but how long do you think they are going to tolerate me here?"

"Don't you think I can put in a good word for you?" she asked, pouting and getting huffy. Kíli hurried to placate her.

"Yes, you can, and you will, I don't doubt that."

"Good."

She started undressing in front of him, only to disappear behind the curtain, which served as a door to the bathroom, before really showing any skin to him. She often teased him like this when he questioned her abilities – either this, or she displayed some ridiculous elven stunt to prove that she could still fight. Kíli actually found it endearing, when he got over his frustration.

"I don't intend to just go without a word," he said, sitting down next to the doorway. He hoped to peek inside through the gap between the wall and the fabric.

"Good," came her indignant answer. He sighed – he'd spent his whole life explaining himself, but it never came out well.

"I wanted to talk to you about this after your dinner with the Elvenking," he said.

Her head appeared right above him, the rest of her still hidden behind the curtain, and she glanced down to check his truthfulness. (He tended to sweeten the uncomfortable things. He couldn't help it, he was a born optimist.) Apparently satisfied, she disappeared again.

"We can talk now, then," she offered.

Kíli really didn't want to discuss it through the curtain, so he stood up.

"Then I'm coming in," he called in, not giving her enough time to properly cover herself.

She was wearing a bathrobe, preparing a bath. He liked the scent of the oil, and her pretty blush caused a pleasant fluttering in his stomach and a broad grin on his face. Tauriel quickly regained her bearings and continued preparing her bath, which, to Kíli, looked like she was merely straightening everything so she can keep her back to him. He didn't mind it: she was pretty from behind too.

"Talk, then!"

"Well, it's obvious that I have no place here outside these rooms, and I can't stay here like this."

She let out a displeased sound, so he changed his tactics.

"How was dinner?"

"Dinner was fine, thank you. The Elvenking expressed his joy for my recovery. Shortly, he marveled at how his son managed to achieve this miracle. Then, he kindly inquired if I wished to return to the guard, where, out of consideration for my ailing health, he offered me a smaller position," she listed off the events stiffly.

"That went fine then," Kíli said.

"Fine, right," Tauriel said, grabbing the edge of the cabinet. She hung her head, and he walked up to her, trying to smooth away the tension from her shoulders. She leaned into the touch, so he continued the massage, until she let out a soft moan. She immediately snapped back to reality, and shrugged off his hands.

Kíli flinched. He hated when she rejected her, but fortunately, it didn't happen often. She turned suddenly, revealing what was truly eating at her:

"I don't want to take a small position! I don't want to be known as the weak elfling, who ignored her king's goodwill and reaped what she sowed!"

Kíli nodded, stifling his laugh. Tauriel liked to be strong, and the Elvenking offended her with this offer. He wondered if the slight was purposeful: maybe, because she defied him? Maybe, by loving a dwarf, she became the black sheep that shouldn't be put on display? Whatever he thought – Kíli certainly didn't care, as this pushed things into his favor.

"Well, you shouldn't encourage the others to take your path, because where would they find another handsome dwarven warrior like me?"

This earned a smile from her.

"Oh, what am I to do without you?" she sighed.

"Nothing," Kíli said, sobering suddenly. He came up with a crazy idea and he voiced it without thinking. "Stay with me!"

Tauriel blinked, twice, but before she could interject a firm 'no', Kíli continued.

"We can live together like this. We can do whatever we want: we can travel, we can pretend to be married to avoid questions, we can settle in Dale if you don't want to live in the mountain. I'll guarantee that you won't get heartsick again."

Tauriel was blinking again: as it turned out, blinking away her tears. His heart urged him to go and comfort her, but he didn't know how she would take it.

"Are you serious?" she murmured.

"Of course I am. Surely you'll miss the forest and your friends, but I'll console you for these losses to the best of my ability." He'll at least try, but he preferred to sound very confident.

"Thank you," she whispered.

After a minute of emotional silence, Kíli couldn't help speaking up:

"So are you coming? I don't mean to be impatient, but I'm sort of anxious for an answer."

"How could I say no?"

Relief washed over him, but she was still rubbing her eyes, and he wanted to cheer her up.

"Well, it's a rather short word, but please don't do that." He thought that he could afford one flippant remark, but the temperamental beauty shoved him out of the bathroom.

"Stop speaking nonsense. Of course I'll go with you if you ask so nicely."

"Did I ask nicely?" Kíli replied, settling down in front of the curtain once more. He let out a happy sigh: she was truly magnificent. He listened to the splashes of water as she climbed inside the bathtub. She was humming an elven song, but the happy tune perfectly underlined Kíli's current feelings.

"You know, if we're going to live together, and pretend to be man and wife, then there's no reason for me to be sitting outside," he mused loudly.

"I don't know, I still haven't decided if you'd asked nicely enough," she replied, and added on a lower voice, but clearly intended to be heard: "Can't a woman have some peace?"

A few days later, Tauriel and Kíli left Mirkwood, and the handsome dwarven warrior even got back his pony and his weapons in acceptable conditions.

"I'm going to miss this place," she sighed.

"You can come back to visit, and make everyone jealous of your fantastic life," Kíli supplied. He hoped she wouldn't regret this decision.

"Well, that's why I left at the first time," she smiled. "I hope you're right and I won't have to exaggerate the next time I'm here!"

"I'll make sure that you won't have to!" Kíli promised cheerfully.

 **THE END**

* * *

 **A/N: I can't believe it, but it's done. I think everyone got to a place of relative happiness – sort of – what do you think? I really hope you liked this story and you didn't got disappointed – whatever you think, feel free to let me know!**

I'm planning to do a sequel, where the river in the mountain gets poisoned and Dís is one of the first to fall ill. The rest of the characters will make an appearance, and we may see the nomads again. It may come after the end of the Tour de France (at the end of July).

I'm really happy for completing this story. At first, I came up with the idea of Dís wanting to marry off the boys. I thought I was going to write a funny-romantic story, but alas, something else happened.

First, when I realized that it could be a very long story, I decided to split it up to several shorter parts. I think it's really noticeable on the prequel (A New Life), but this, Justice, was a lot more planned, since I knew where I wanted to start and end this. The chapters still got longer and longer, and I had to split some of them in half, so I ended up with at least five chapters more than I intended to have.

I've learnt a lot by writing this. For example, I realized that I can't write fluff. Or funny-romantic scenes. The action scenes and the angst came out really fast, much of those parts needed little correction, while I constantly deleted and rewrote happy scenes. Let's face it: I'm an angry little punk, but at least I tried. In the end, it turned out to be quite a therapeutic story, I even changed major plotpoints. I intended to make many characters unhappy, but then I realized: what's the point? It's fanfiction. It's about making people happy. Even if they are fictional characters, leading them on a road to a happy ending made me happy too.

Enough of the rant.

 **Thanks for reading! I would really love to hear your opinion on what and who you did or didn't like – type it in the box below!**

 **SV**

* * *

 **To Emrfangirl:** Thanks for the nice words! I'm glad you're happy with them. In the last chapter, Fíli is getting a subtle nudge in the right direction, but letting Flor go after such a long time is not going to happen overnight. I think that he truly thinks that he wouldn't mind if Flor married him for money, because being with her for any reason would be better than being without her. He knows that it's stupid, but as he said, his mind knows the reality, but his heart can't accept it. There's also a little gloating in his comment, because this way, Flor must regret her decision to leave him, and Fíli finds comfort in the fact that she's not entirely happy either. It's not a nice sentiment, I know, but disappointment can take you to ugly places. Thanks for all your reviews! Sky


End file.
